Best Bites in BeijingBy Madelyn MillerBeijing is one of my favorite cities because it offers the best of two of my favorite pastimes, shopping and eating. The trip is long, but take a few guidebooks to read enroute and dream of all the money you will save in the markets. Walking and bargaining will work up an appetite, but you will find fabulous gourmet restaurants at surprisingly reasonable prices. And casual, local restaurants are cheaper than fast food at home. What you get in your neighborhood Chinese restaurant is not what you will find in China. Food is very important to the Chinese and in fact, their greeting is the equivalent of "Have you eaten yet?" The Chinese like to eat family style, with everyone burrowing their chopsticks into a common dish. SHANG PALACE My very favorite Shang Palace is at the Shangri-la in Beijing. A serene setting in a hotel with the most magnificent hotel gardens in the city, the restaurant is an oasis of serenity in a commercial area. In the dining room, there is classic music performed live. Be sure to order the 8-treasures tea, as the service of this Chinese delight is a performance in itself. A traditionally dressed Chinese boy pours from a spout that is more than three feet long. DIM SUM AT HORIZON RESTAURANT Beijing and Peking Duck This restaurant has served Beijing Duck since 1852 and was founded by the creator of the recipe. Nationalized after the 1949 Communist Revolution, it has opened several branches across Beijing, but the one called Lao Ya or Old Duck, South of Tiananmen Square is the most elaborate. The feast generally consists of: cold duck tongue, sautéed webs, sliced livers, and gizzards to start; a main course of roast duck, to be dipped in plum sauce and wrapped with spring onion in a thin pancake; and duck soup to finish. However, one can order just the roast duck with pancakes which is a complete meal by itself. ARIA : YOU'LL SING THE PRAISES OF THIS RESTAURANT Known for its fusion-style cuisine composed of the best of the West with Eastern influences, Chef de Cuisine, Nick Major offers a set menu for lunch in the Dining Room and a bar lunch at the bar area. Dinner is served à la carte. ARIA is spread out over two levels of the China World Hotel. Larger-than-life murals of Renaissance-style artworks line the entry-way into the comfortably appointed seating areas, bar counter, and wine bar area, as well as provide dramatic covering for the walls of the Dining Rooms. The unpretentious ambiance of ARIA is reflected in the attire of the service staff and their unobtrusive style, focusing attention on the guest who, whether casually or formally dressed is made to feel equally at ease. Bathed in a healthy dose of natural light from the sky lights and picture windows by day, the lower level has a seating capacity of 100, with a bar counter that caters to the elbow-bender crowd while cozy seating arrangements allow for more comfort and privacy. Nestled on the other side of the room is a wine bar. Soothing jazz add to the cozy and cosmopolitan ambiance of the room. Walking up the impressive spiral staircase to the upper level and to the main dining area with two private rooms , one is greeted by a virtual show-time of chefs in action as they prepare delectable dishes for and interact with guests. CHINESE CUSTOMS
WHEN IN CHINA, EAT AS THE CHINESE DO
GREAT GUIDEBOOKS Traveler's China CompanionBy Derek Maitland and Chris Taylor Globe Pequot Press FOR MORE INFORMATION Shangri-La Hotel China World Hotel The Kerry Centre Hotel Palace Hotel |
|
TM