CUISINE in Beijing

Update: February 19, 2008

Beijing is an epicurean paradise offering a baffling array of Chinese dishes and local delica Huai'an - Yangzhou. The city's major restaurants are in the hands of famous chefs with creative techniques, and the dining environment is elegant and cozy. Ordinary restaurants in the streets are cheap and practical. Credit cards and Cheques are accepted in Peking Duck, a favourite with foreign visitors most hotels and restaurants, but you have to pay an additional 10-15% service Charge.

Peking Duck is representative of all exotic food Beijing has to offer. There are so many Peking duck restaurants in the city nowadays, but the Quanjude Peking Duck Restaurant, which has been around for the last 130 years and is running branches at Qianmen, Hepingmen and Wangfujing, is definitely the best.

Imperial dishes, made exquisitely with choice materials, are yet another salient feature of the Beijing school of cooking. In bygone days these dishes were prepared in the kitchen of the imperial palace for the exclusive delight of the emperor. Today, the Fangshan Restaurant in the Beihai Park, the Tingliguan Restaurant in the Summer Palace, and the Dashanyuan Restaurant near the Palace Museum, have made these once secret dishes available to the public.

If you happen to be in Beijing in winter, you may choose to enjoy the Beijing style of hot pot with mutton as a major ingredient. Slices of mutton rinsed in a chafing dish are unusually yummy and refreshing. Donglaishun, Nengrenju and Youyishun are among the Beijing restaurants best known for their instant-boiled mutton.

The dishes of the Tan Family Kitchen, now available in the Dining of Beijing Hotel, were typical family fare in old Beijing. Kaorouyuan and Kaorouji restaurants on Xuanwumennei Street are known for their grilled meat.