Italian food is a cuisine very dear to my heart. College vacations spent working at La Pastaria, a family-run Italian restaurant in America, made me believe I had become an expert in this realm of cuisine. It was only later on, when I studied abroad in Rome, that I realized I actually had many misconceptions about the food. But these misconceptions are common, and many Italian chefs in Beijing lament the fact that locals rarely know much beyond pizza and pasta when it comes to Italian food.

Apart from the cuisine’s “pasta and pizza” stereotype, Italian food also suffers from mistaken identity in Beijing. As the chefs I spoke with explained, Chinese diners often mistake less familiar Italian dishes for being French or Spanish.

But this doesn’t stop The Kempinski Hotel’s Trattoria La Gondola’s Chef Paride from pushing forward fine dining Italian dishes that surprised even me—for example, the swordfish and tuna carpaccio mixed with orange, kiwi and caviar (part of the ¥168 antipasti platter) is an innovative dish that balances sweet, salty and aromatic flavors. When it comes to Italian classics, osso bucco is one of my favorites. Paride’s version (¥198) pushes the envelope by topping the braised veal shank with lemon zest, a simple add-in that heightens the flavors dramatically.

Unlike Trattoria La Gondola, which imports most of their ingredients—even tomatoes—Assaggi takes on the challenge of creating authentic tastes with local produce. Owner Giuliano says, “Italian food differs so much within itself, so the most important thing is to stay true to the flavor and not lose your identity with the food.” Assaggi’s halibut (¥140) wrapped in salty cured ham is divine, cooked with apple vinegar for a nice citrus tang. The rigatoni pasta (¥60) with pork shoulder and asparagus in a light cream sauce is emblematic of the value of simple food for the stomach and the soul. The ambrosial panna cotta brought sweet, silky bliss to my taste buds. And Giuliano will do even more to promote knowledge about Italian desserts with the opening of Italian bakery Da Giuliano this month, just downstairs from Assaggi. I got the chance to sample some cookies, and I have to say, Beijing is getting a very sweet addition in the embassy neighborhood.

Assuming that Italian food is just pizza and pasta is akin to thinking of Chinese food as egg rolls and General Tsao’s chicken. But even in Beijing, there are restaurants promoting awareness of this European cuisine with delicious dishes that break the stereotypes.