Chef vs Critic
Will our local experts agree on the city’s best Peking duck and fine-diners? By Alexandra Carlton.
Will our local experts agree on Beijing’s best Peking duck?
Who’s doing Beijing’s best fine dining?
LD Opera Bombana (operabombana.com). It has exceptional service and a refined, classic Italian menu. The chef, Umberto Bombana, also owns the three-Michelinstarred 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong.
CJ I would say TRB Hutong (trb-cn.com), formerly Temple Restaurant Beijing, which serves contemporary European cuisine in a restored 600-year-old Chinese temple. The team is international, the service is always excellent and they use fresh seasonal ingredients like lobster and asparagus. TRB has taken hospitality in Beijing to the highest level.
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Where would you go for the best Peking duck in the city?
LD There are literally thousands of restaurants in Beijing making Peking duck. It’s the dish that our city is most known for – even our basketball team is called the Beijing Ducks. Quanjude (various locations, including 30 Qianmen Street, Dongcheng; +86 10 6511 2418) continues to stick to traditional methods and presentation that haven’t changed much since 1864 and remains a popular destination for locals and visitors.
CJ Siji Minfu (various locations, including 18 Lane 2 Langfang, Dashilan, Dongcheng; +86 10 6301 4493), which serves classic roast duck alongside other Beijing-style dishes in a casual and friendly atmosphere. It’s always packed. The Qianmen location faces the Forbidden City on one side and it’s worth the wait for a table. Try to get there by 5pm because there’s always a line and they don’t take bookings.
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What about non-Chinese food?
LD That’s a tricky question because non-Chinese restaurants cover such a wide variety and Beijing has eateries offering cuisines from all around the world. I recommend Home Plate BBQ (homeplatebbq.com) for authentic Southern American cooking.
CJ If I had to choose one, it would be Bottega (bottegacn. com) and many of my expat friends would say the same. Its speciality is Napoli-style pizza cooked in a woodfired oven and the food is creative and contemporary.
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Where do you go for good vegetarian or vegan food?
LD XIHE Lotus.com – which is its name, not a website – makes mid-priced vegetarian cuisine that focuses on the traditional Chinese health benefits of plant-based food (NL4006, 4th Floor, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang; +86 10 8527 4868). It highlights the flavours of the ingredients rather than disguising them to taste like meat.
CJ Bruno Fresh (various locations, including B1-02A, B1, Full Link Plaza, Chaoyangmen Outer Street, Chaoyang) is a casual vegan restaurant
that does great veggie burgers, hot dogs, salads and wraps and a range of healthy shakes such as the Bikini Island with coconut milk, papaya, carrot and turmeric.
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Where would you go to have amazing desserts?
LD Daoxiangcun (various locations, including 10 Dengshikou Street, Dongdan, Dongcheng; +86 10 6513 7563). This time-honoured bakery first opened in 1895 and is a favourite among locals. These authentic Beijing pastries aren’t the typical stuff you’re used to in the West; they tend to be less sweet and include ingredients such as mung beans and rose petals. CJ Berko for French-style cupcakes (various locations, including B1, Galeries Lafayette, 110 Xidan Beidajie, Xicheng; +86 10 8306 3027). The calories are high but when you eat these desserts you won’t care! The décor is beautiful – you feel like you’re in a princess’s palace.
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What’s the best place to eat with an incredible view?
LD TRB Forbidden City (trb-cn.com). If you’re lucky enough to snag one of the tables by the window, you’ll get a fantastic view of the Forbidden City.
CJ Grill 79 (shangri-la.com) is on the 79th floor of the China World Summit Wing in Beijing’s tallest building on Chang’an Avenue, one of the two axes of Beijing that connect the west of the city to the east. On a clear day you’ll be able to see Tiananmen.
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Where would you take clients or colleagues for a business lunch?
LD Feast (Food by EAST) (east-beijing.com) offers a semi-buffet weekday lunch that’s perfect if you’re looking for a fast business lunch. The service is professional but laid-back and the ambience is bright and beautiful.
CJ Opera Bombana (operabombana.com) is probably the most famous restaurant in Beijing. The average price per person for dinner is over 1000 yuan [about $210] but its weekday three-course set lunch is only 298 yuan [about $63] per person. So you get the same food and service for an excellent price.
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Is there a great restaurant that tends to fly under the radar?
LD Bistro 3 is located in a small speakeasy, Infusion Room, in the Sanlitun area (D Lounge Upper Level, Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang; +86 10 6415 9837). It only seats about 25 people but the food is fantastic. The cuisine is Chinese-French fusion in the best sense; they take Chinese dishes and alter them with Western ingredients to fully embrace both culinary cultures.
CJ I really love The Daily Bagel (various locations, including 39 West Maizidian Street, Chaoyang; +86 10 2093 6328). Bagels are not a big thing in China but I lived in New York for six months and
I miss them. The toppings here are authentic, like cream cheese and smoked salmon. You have to be quick, though, as they usually supply wholesale to highend restaurants and will often sell out for ordinary customers by 4pm.
Heading to Beijing for the first time? Don’t forget to read our tips for exploring the Chinese capital at QANTAS.COM/TRAVELINSIDER.