Staff, past and present, of the Beijing bureau of The Associated Press share their favourite restaurants in the city.
YUE LU (pronounced you-whey loo)
Showcasing the spicy fare of Mao Zedong's home province of Hunan, the restaurant was opened by Fang Lijun, one of China's most influential contemporary artists. Enjoy some of his provocative pieces while chowing down on super-garlicky mashed eggplant served in a wooden bucket, cold beef rolls stuffed with cilantro and topped with a garlic puree, braised fatty pork and "swallow" dumplings bubbling in a flame-warmed broth.
One dish that will impress any guest is an enormous steamed fish head topped with a pile of innocent-looking chopped green chilies. Don't be fooled, they will bring tears to your eyes. A tangle of boiled noodles will be brought to your table later to sop up the light soy sauce-based fish soup. Cool things down with a cold jug of plum juice.
Address: The alley next to the club Destination at the west gate of the Worker's Stadium, about 100 metres down, on left.
HATSUNE (pronounced haht-soon-nay)
A warmly lit California-Japanese fusion joint popular with the hipster crowd. Super fresh sashimi and creative sushi rolls including one stuffed with Peking duck. Other tasty items are baked scallops in the shell topped with a sinfully cheesy sauce, miso cod and beef rolls with enoki mushrooms. Complimentary dessert.
Address: 2/F Heqiao Building, Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District.
CHUAN BAN (pronounced chwahn-bahn)
Hidden in a government compound behind the Chang'an Grand Theater, this restaurant dishes up arguably the best - and spiciest - Sichuan food in the capital.
Forget wimpy Americanized versions and dive in if you dare. The chefs here are brought in from the mountainous southwestern province to cook for homesick civil servants and others who can handle the heat.
A show-stopper is the laziji, a dish that is 10 percent chicken and 90 percent whole, dried red chili peppers served on a platter the size of an end table.
Other must-eats are the pork dumplings doused in chili oil, cold glass noodles tossed with chili oil and tofu stir-fried with minced pork and - what else? - chili oil. Cool your mouth with bottles of cold Yanjing beer.
Don't be shy about waving your arms frantically to flag down the less-than-attentive waitstaff and be prepared for long, long lines. It's worth it.
Address: Jianguomennei Avenue, walk north on the street running alongside the Chang'an Grand Theater, take a right at the public bathroom. The restaurant on the left, inside the gated Sichuan provincial government compound.
W WINE & DINE
The beef tartare with parmesan potato souffle at this European-style restaurant is a must-try. It's moist and flavourful, topped with delicious herbs.
The decor is modern, but unpretentious. W's comfortable surroundings draw in a good mix of locals and expats. Try the Italian citrus osso bucco with olive oil and herbs paired with a glass of wine from their impressive collection.
Address: 22-1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie.
THE NOODLE LOFT (its Chinese name is pronounced mee-en koo)
Great dumplings, made with reddish sorghum flour that gives them an earthy taste and filled with tangy pickled vegetables. Dip them in sweet vinegar for added zing.
The noodles here are great, handmade, beaten and spun in front of customers by quick-wristed chefs. Good spectacle. The thinly-sliced cold cooked pork is worth a try - if nothing else for the accompanying crushed-garlic dip that trails on the tongue for days afterward.
Address (two locations): 20 Dawang Road and 3 Heping Xijie.
HAIWANJU (pronounced hi-wahn-jew)
If you want to get a sense of what it was like in a Beijing restaurant more than a century ago, this is the place to go. From outside, you can see big red lanterns hanging on the tile roof. Inside, you'll get an old-school greeting from waiters wearing mandarin-style jackets and black cloth shoes - "Here you come! Please come on in!"
They will show you to a marble table with four long red benches. According to a famous Chinese saying - "Dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth." Try some! And you must have the house specialty of noodles topped with a salty-sweet brown sauce.
The constant bustle of the place means some smashed plates, but don't worry. Waiters will chorus "sui sui ping an" when that happens, which means that breaking something is a good omen for your health and safety.
Address: No.11, Zengguang Road, Haidian District.
YUNTENG BINGUAN (pronounced yuhn tung been gwahn)
Cuisine of the ethnic minorities of China's southwestern province of Yunnan. Crowd-pleasers include pine-needle salad, spicy mint leaf salad with peppers, fried goat cheese, grilled fish and dishes based on the province's wide variety of mushrooms.
Specialty drinks include distinctive homemade rice wine. The popularity of the restaurant has prompted the managers to open a shop next door selling delicacies such as pickled mushrooms.
Address: In the Yunnan provincial government representative office building at No. 7 Huashi North Road, Chongwen District.
XIAO WANG FU (pronounced shee-ao wahng foo)
It's been called Chinese food 101, but you couldn't ask for a more picturesque introduction to homestyle cooking.
Overlooking the small but busy Ritan Park, itself a gem of a find in one of the city's embassy districts, the restaurant's dishes are dependably good, even if they cater to more foreign palates.
Crispy fried tofu, twice-fried green beans with pork, kung pao prawns and Peking duck are popular.
A great place to take a date - or your mother. After dinner, head to the Stone Boat for a drink. The cafe/bar on the west shore of Ritan's man-made pond is located in a stone boat evocative of Empress Ci Xi's famed vessel.
Especially pleasant in summer, when a rotation of funky local bands take the stage.
Address: North gate of Ritan Park, take a left and walk about 90 metres.
DALI COURTYARD (pronounced dah-lee)
The restaurant is cozily set in a quiet converted courtyard house off a small alleyway near Beijing's ancient Drum Tower.
The intmate atmosphere is heightened by the house's full bookshelves, dark wooden furniture and seating under the stars. The set menu transports you to the mountainous region of Dali in southwest Yunnan, home of the Bai and Yi minorities.
The lemongrass roasted tilapia and fried beef with mushrooms stand out, but the menu often changes. Waiters will ask if there's anything you don't eat and the food will be adapted accordingly. Generous glasses of wine.
Address: 67 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District.
DONGHUAMEN NIGHT MARKET (pronounced dohng hwah muhn)
A block-long street lined with food stalls, offering munchies from sugarcoated fruit to fresh coconuts to Beijing-style baked pastries. And bugs. Lots of bugs on a stick.
Follow the aromas, give in to the sales pitches of friendly food vendors and experience firsthand what Beijingers like to snack on. Bragging rights are all yours when you get home.
Address: North of the Wangfujing shopping area, at the end of the pedestrian street.
HUA JIA YI YUAN (hwa gee-yah yee wan)
An atmospheric courtyard restaurant located along Beijing's famous food street, Gui Jie, with its trademark red lanterns.
It serves up new takes on tasty homestyle dishes, such as spicy crayfish and eggplant with abalone.
They also make a deliciously crispy Beijing duck, with less fat than usual.
The place is crowded and noisy but enthusiastic diners attest to the food's authenticity.
Address: .235 Dongzhimennei Dajie.
SHI TANG (pronounced shih tahng)
Literally translated, the name means "eat the Tang Dynasty." Located in a quiet corner of southeast Beijing, the restaurant serves food from the ancient capital city of Xi'an.
Try pao mo (pow mwoh), a hot stew of chopped up steamed bread and glass noodles in lamb broth, served with chunks of lamb meat. Best accompanied by pickled garlic and chili sauce.
Also good are the translucent liang pi (lee-ahng pee) noodles and the Qi Shan (chee shahn) noodles, a spicy concoction with diced vegetables and meat. The secret ingredient? Qi Shan vinegar, which gives it an extra kick.
Wash it all down with Huang Gui (hwang goo-wei) rice wine which, according to legend, was the favourite of Yang Guifei, the most beautiful princess of the Tang dynasty. People say the wine can make women prettier.
Address: Jing Song No. 9 district, building 907.
