Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( Biànyífāng Kǎoyādiàn; 6711 2244; 3rd fl, China New World Shopping Mall, 5 Chongwenmenwai Dajie, roast
duck ¥198; lunch & dinner; ; Chongwenmen)
Less touristy than the other duck options
in the area, Biànyífāng claims to be the original Peking duck restaurant - it cites a heritage
that dates back to the reign of the Qing emperor Xianfeng. The birds here are roasted in
the
mènlú
style (in a closed oven, as opposed to a half-open one where the duck hangs to
cook) and the meat is nice and tender. A half bird is ¥110 with all the trimmings and the
menu also offers duck liver, heart and feet dishes. In fact, just about any part of the duck
that is edible is available here. It's nonsmoking throughout.
DŪYĪCHÙ$$
( 6702 1555; 38 Qianmen Dajie, dishes from ¥26; 9am-9pm; ; Qianmen)
Now back on the
newly spiffy street where it started business during the mid-Qing dynasty, Dūyīchù spe-
cialises in the delicate dumplings called
shāomài
. The shrimp-and-leek (¥42) and veggie
(¥40) ones are especially good, and are presented very nicely, but they also do a nice line
in seasonal variations, such as sweet corn and bean (¥42) in the summer, or beef and yam
(¥48) in the winter. There are other non-dumpling dishes on the menu too. Be prepared to
queue at weekends.
|CHINESE DUMPLINGS
WEDOMÉ$
|CAFE
( Wèiduōměi; 6715 9205; 12 Tiyuguan Lu, coffee & tea from ¥25; 9am-10.30pm; ; Tiantandongmen)
If you're looking for a place to rest your legs after shopping or sightseeing in the area,
then retreat to the 2nd floor of this cafe opposite the east gate of the Temple of Heaven
Park. It offers a wide selection of coffee, tea and juices, as well as cakes and sandwiches.
