Along the west bank of the Hou Hai lakes glows a giant red chop that serves as the entrance marker to Ken de Rouge; the four month old fusion restaurant nestled between bars and curio shops. Fusion does not begin to do justice to this beautiful collage of Chinese architecture and Hutong styles nor the menu featuring some very non-Chinese items.
Located in the new China View Building 3, room 201 (second floor), Sanliturn area, is the new Purple Haze Bistro, sister to the original Purple Haze. The original offers traditional Thai food, while the new Bistro's menu incorporates about half of the first restaurants line but adding a creative blend of other South-Asian and fusion dishes.
Located south of Dong Chong district is one of the ten best parks in Beijing is Wan liu ge. The restaurant itself is a converted residence of traditional courtyard house architecture, beautifully painted on the outside and inside full of authentic stone sculpture, wood carvings and admirable wood panel fret-work showing scenes from times gone by.
Located in the recently redeveloped Nanluoguxiang, a mixed use neighborhood of shops, bars, restaurants and residences, is the Indian restaurant Mirch Masala. We were met by it's owner Daya Shanker, originally from Delhi and a passionate veteran of Beijing's restaurant scene.
A classic venue in an historic hotel, Bai Yu Lan uses its limited space extremely well, providing each table with a private atmosphere accompanied by easy on the ear traditional live music.