锦江深圳酒店

中餐

This is the first Beijing branch of the Taizhou brand famous for super-fresh, top-notch seafood shipped from the East China Sea daily. Wild-caught yellow croaker is the mainstay of a menu that keeps pace with availability, however, brown croaker is also a firm favourite for many, and whether it is crafted into dumplings that burst with juices or minced and braised into springy ‘lion head’ meatballs, it always delivers succulent flavours and textures.

This upmarket restaurant in Chaozhou is another gem from the F&B chain. Chef Gu, who hails from the city, has been cooking professionally for over 30 years. His menu is based on tradition but imbued with creativity. The boneless pigeon stuffed with bird's nest in matsutake broth delivers striking layers of textures. Professional wine and tea sommeliers take care of the libations. Chinese reds and whites aside, try the phoenix tea brewed with spring water.

As the name suggests, the kitchen is helmed by chefs hailing from the Sichuanese city of Yibin, from whence most of the ingredients are shipped, before they are cooked in authentic Yibin style. The menu is extensive and the portions generous. Try Lizhuang boiled pork, and Yibin noodles with bean sprouts dressed in a nutty, spicy sauce. Reservations are not accepted, so expect to queue at mealtimes, often for over an hour.

Founded in 1822, Tong He Ju is one of the oldest Shandong restaurants in Beijing and was heralded the first of the ‘Big Eight’ eateries. The signboard itself is a historic relic, featuring handwriting by Emperor Puyi’s younger brother. Specialities such as braised cuttlefish roe in a spicy-sour glaze; cod fillet in distillers grain sauce; and san bu zhan, an egg yolk pudding fried with mung bean flour and sugar, all adhere strictly to old-time recipes.

This small, obscure shop in an alley features an understated grey-brick façade and pared-down décor. The calligraphic menu is short but sweet, heavy on river fish and home-style cooking. Try their braised tofu with fish roe, or hot and sour young lotus root with chicken gizzards. Round it out with grass jelly in Osmanthus honey, or the piping-hot egg-drop glutinous rice wine (in winter). Seats are limited, so come early or expect to wait in line.

This place stands out from the crowd of typical Dongbei restaurants with its modern decor done out in red and white, and servers in tailored suits. That said, the food is unmistakably Dongbei, covering recipes from Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin, albeit in smaller portions and finer presentations. In addition to classics such as fried pork loin in sweet and sour sauce, and pork stew with pickled cabbage, try rare culinary gems such as crayfish "tofu".