Rise and Shine

3.5/5 stars

Shining City’s location atop VA Bar is killer, with windows that look out over the new “hutongs” that border the east entrance of Wudaoying, and the Lama Temple. With an outdoor terrace and comfortable couch seating, this is a great place to while away an afternoon with a book and a cup of tea. The hand-made menus contain a mish-mash of dishes from both sides of the Pacific, but it’s the Asian fare at Shining City that wins, hands down.

Though they’re overpriced, we really fell in love with the satay dragon beans (¥36), crunchy bits of green with just enough spice to heat the palate, but not singe it. We’ve seen many Gulou-area Yunnan places serve up a version of Shining City’s “fried tilapia in Vietnamese style” (¥78), but none of them are as big as the fish here, and with its delicate spices and perfect, crispy skin, it was the highlight of the meal. But we’ve endured too many overcooked pastas and frozen pizzas to really trust mid-range “Western” dishes from a cook clearly more familiar with the intricacies of Sichuan spices than pasta and breads, and Shining City didn’t change our minds here. The crust of the vegetarian pizza (¥60), resembled cardboard, and the sauce was too sweet.

The service is friendly and efficient, and the bathroom décor is absolutely adorable, with porcelain doorknobs and floral tiles. Just stick to the cuisine Shining City does best—deliciously savory Asian dishes—and satisfy your Western food cravings elsewhere.

Laura Fitch