北京东乡厅酒店

Nestled deep inside a warehouse-turned-cultural park, Tan is a sibling of The Bridge in Chengdu. The bright and airy room spans two levels, its cubic furniture accentuating the ceiling height and minimalist elegance. The Sichuanese kitchen team excels both in classic and innovative recipes, while retaining the quintessence of Sichuanese flavour profiles. Try the mapo tofu with beef bone marrow – the two intermingle in a bold, zesty sauce.

Although the entrance is tucked away in an alley, it's hard to miss the giant dumpling held in a pair of chopsticks sticking out of the wall. Through a window, diners can see the chefs making dumplings with house-made wrapping. Those filled with seafood from Jiaodong Peninsula are the most popular – try the Spanish mackerel and chive dumplings packed with juicy, tender filling. Other seasonal fillings include kelp, dried shrimps and shepherd's purse.

Slightly out of the way, this private rooms-only restaurant sits amid bamboo lined alleys and boasts an alfresco lounge, whose outdoor misting system creates an otherworldly aura. The menu features painstakingly prepared gems like camphor wood-smoked duck with crispy skin and smoky depth, as well as dishes that intelligently include house-made pickles and sauces. Exquisitely plated Kung Pao prawns burst with fruity spices and a hint of sweetness.

With stints in top establishments, the executive chef from Guangdong leads the kitchen team as it rolls out a lineup of Cantonese classics. Items like double-boiled soup and Cantonese barbecue need pre-ordering. Dried tangerine peel is a recurring theme on the menu – try deep-fried pork spareribs with Xinhui dried tangerine peel for rounded citrus warmth. Whelk slices and fish maw soup, slow-cooked for six hours, seduces with depth and umami.

Chandeliers add visual appeal to the high-ceilinged room with ink murals and carved wood windows. The menu is predominantly Cantonese, borrowing occasionally from other provinces. The Cantonese kitchen team delivers authentic flavours in signatures such as sautéed grouper fillet with green chilli and wild rice stems. The slow-boiled soup menu on daily rotation is also worth checking out. At lunchtime, try the tofu skin roll with shrimp filling.

Formally trained as an engineer, the chef-owner opened this place in 2019 to pursue his passion for the culinary arts. The space, dominated by warm whites and neutrals, feels sleek and romantic. The menu offers much flexibility – French classics such as dry-aged Australian M9 filet mignon with mashed potato, poulet en vessie and loup en croûte rub shoulders with seasonal dishes and sharing plates. Pre-order three days ahead, when booking a table.

It’s out of the way and you need a taxi to get here. But when you see the vast patio and grand dining room styled after the archetypal Parisian brasserie circa 1900s, its suburban address will make sense instantly. On the menu, French classics take precedence – escargots, steak tartare, confit de canard, baba au rhum – though their seafood platter is also popular. Charming table service makes dishes like côte de bœuf and crêpes Suzette stand out.