A platter called Beijing

China's interest in regional cuisine has led to diverse eateries. The Olympics apart, that's another reason to visit Beijing

The traditional greeting in Beijing's streets is “Che fan le ma?'', which translates as “Have you eaten?''

The Chinese love their food — and with the country opening up, they are now discovering the delights of experiencing new tastes.

Gastronomic delights

In fact, a trip to Beijing is like entering Aladdin's cave, only of gastronomic pleasures.

Choose from the delicious morsels served up as snacks in the traditional hutongs, Beijing's small alleyways, or go out and indulge in an Imperial banquet with the mouth-watering Peking duck.

Beijing offers yet another delightful surprise for the busy traveller. If you are curious about China's varied regional cuisine, the capital offers an interesting way of discovering new flavours without moving out of city limits.

Chinese cuisine is a reflection of the enormity of the country and most of the dishes are unlike what we are used to in local Chinese takeaways.

From the lamb kebabs of Beijing's far west to the pan-fried cheese of Yunnan to the searing mouth-numbing spices of Sichuan, the flavours are as unique as they are varied.

There are, in fact, around 20 provincial restaurants in Beijing which serve exquisite fare. This, in turn, has paved the way for a blossoming of interest in regional dishes.

Home away from home

If busy newsreader Ku Scheeren is feeling a bit homesick for the strong, sour flavours of his native Guizhou Province, he heads for the restaurant in the Guizhou Mansion — a bustling eatery operated not by a restaurateur but the Guizhou provincial government.

To capture the authentic flavour, ingredients are imported directly from the southern province, where sought-after dishes such as ze'er geng, or cold fish root, an intensely flavoured vegetable, are eaten daily.

The place is immensely popular with those from the province and is fast becoming a trendy place to go as Beijingers discover the joys of trying different foods.

“I love going there,'' said Ku, with an enormous smile, as he tucked into a dish of steaming noodles. “It's just like being home.''

The popularity of the Sichuan government restaurant is evident as soon as you arrive.

Hungry crowds, waiting for a table, fill the entrance and spill out on to the street. Sichuan is famous for its spicy cuisine, which, as one patron explained, “goes from very hot to mildly radioactive''.

Explosive imports

The restaurant imports Sichuan spices, which include dried chillies, chilli sauce and huajiao, or Sichuan peppercorns, to create the characteristic numbing burn of the southwestern province's cuisine.

The kitchen is staffed by Sichuan experts who know how to handle these somewhat-explosive ingredients.

As one regular patron explained, as his face turned red and beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead: “The food is authentic and delicious.''

While offering vastly different meals, the common feature of all the restaurants is the effort to be as authentic as possible.
At the Xinjiang government restaurant, customers stuff kebabs of cumin-scented lamb into the region's chewy flatbread or enjoy hearty chicken stews with crimson tomatoes and thick, flat noodles.

This far-flung western province's somewhat rough cuisine has been influenced by its neighbours' in Central Asia.

With fresh produce being flown in three times a week and a menu heavily based on wild herbs and plants mostly unknown to Westerners, the Yunnan restaurant is perhaps one of the most interesting.

Crowds flock to savour fresh mint salads, fragrant wild mushrooms and thin slices of deep-fried smoked cheese.

Changing cuisine

Beijing is definitely a city on the move and you can see this in the changing face of its cuisine and restaurants.

Beijingers love eating and usually book tables for ten people or more, making mealtimes a social occasion that carries on for hours.

With the newfound wealth that many now have, there are plenty of wonderful places to indulge in for a fine dining experience.

With great views of the Forbidden City across the tranquil waters of the moat and opposite the imposing Imperial Gate on the east, the Courtyard Restaurant offers exquisite fusion cooking.

The menu reflects all the changes and aspirations of today's Beijing.

Something for all

Beijing's love for food and socialising is the perfect reason to go out and discover some of the city's unique and highly varied restaurants.

Whether you want to go top-end or just enjoy the authentic flavours and good company, there are plenty of tantalising meals in Beijing just waiting to be enjoyed.

— Scott Adams is a Madrid-based freelance writer

Peking duck

No trip to Beijing, or to use its old name Peking, would be complete without trying the dish that took its name from the city.

Peking duck, dating back hundreds of years to the Yuan dynasty, was once reserved only for the emperor.

Today it is still pricey, so ordinary people indulge in it only occasionally. That's why eating at Made in China, inside the luxurious Grand Hyatt Hotel, is such a joy.

The trendy interior incorporates many antiques and quirky Chinese household items that give the restaurant a stunning look.

The open-plan kitchen is full of fresh vegetables while the focus is the wood-fired oven, integral to cooking the Peking duck. Fragrant smoke from the oven wafts over to diners, inducing mouth-watering hunger.

Peking duck is baked to achieve a delicious red lacquer crust on the skin and when the tender morsels of flesh are rolled up in pancakes with sliced spring onions and then drizzled with hoisin sauce, it's heaven on earth.

The pancakes have a chewy pluck while the sauce is the perfect mix of sweet and smoky. The duck? It doesn't get better.

Restaurants

Arty cuisine

Go there ... Beijing

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