Life> Delicacies

Cool seasonal offerings to shake off the summer

By Ye Jun (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-07-11 11:00

As Beijing's hot and humid summer intensifies, the capital's restaurants are laying out new seasonal dishes to beat the heat.

Todai International Seafood and Sushi Buffet Restaurant recently celebrated its 3rd anniversary by inviting 240 users of Sina.com's micro-blogging service Weibo - the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, to dinner, for free.

As suggested by its name, its most popular stations are those offering seafood and sushi - salmon from Norway, crab leg from Alaska and an especially good fish-roe sushi.

Todai also has up to 20 cooking stations with Western, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hong Kong and Indian cuisines, plus dessert and fruit stations. In the summer, patrons can enjoy free flows of local beer and freshly made fruit juice.

Capital M's outdoor terrace is much sought after, thanks to its unique view of the historical Qianmen Pedstrian Street and the southern part of Tian'anmen Square. The restaurant offering modern European food has changed a third of its menu to introduce fresh seasonal produce. The "summer soup" has fava beans and diced young vegetables, while white asparagus is lightly paired with poached egg and scented with black truffle. Scallops are seared golden and served with crispy bacon, mashed peas and mint.

The menu also includes a duck salad, which uses different parts of the fowl to create a variety of different sensations - meaty confit leg, flavorful smoked breast and chewy sauted gizzards. Finish up with the "truly grand" dessert platter with around 10 lovely options for two.

With Beijing headed for more clear days, China Grill, which is perched on the 66th floor of Park Hyatt Beijing, is one of the best places to catch a panoramic view of the capital. Chef de cuisine German Jens Muenchenbach, who has only recently joined the culinary team, offers dishes that are a treat to both the taste buds and the eyes.

Alaskan king crab, cucumber and creme fraiche are served in a cup with salmon roe and nasturtium beautifully perched on a piece of sugar crust on top of the cup. Tasty wagyu carpaccio is attractively served on a big, square piece of rosy Himalayan salt rock. The in-house sommelier Mei Lee can help you select just the right wines.

Another place to combine enjoy fine foods with great views is the Beijing American Club. It is located on the top floor of the China Resources Building, the highest building by the Second Ring Road.

Executive chef Albert Lee prepares Western dishes that are on a par with those by any top Western chef in the city. The highlight of the dinner was an Australian lobster with avocado, green and red bell peppers, and a tasty foie gras on a base soup of fresh mashed apple.

In this hot weather, what can be more cooling than a big bowl of red bean with ice and fruit, ideally at a Hong Kong-style restaurant? La Paleta, with its welcoming ambience, is located near China Central Place. Try pairing ice cream and very thick fresh kiwi juice with clay pot rice and preserved pork and sausage. Grilled scallops with vermicelli is another delectable offering.