"President Bush was supposed to visit my restaurant when he was in Beijing the year before last," said Zhang. "We had everything prepared. But unfortunately his limousine was too big to fit down the narrow hutong, and they decided it was too risky for him to walk."

On another occasion, former vice-president Al Gore made it to the restaurant unscathed, Zhang said.

"I know what they (foreigners) like and what they need. Serving them has become a pleasure to me," he added.

If a hutong experience is not your thing, the most reliable alternative is the roast duck at Made in China, a modern restaurant within the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Like any other metropolis, Beijing has attracted people from all over the world and has developed restaurants to match. The breadth and depth of the selection would be amazing to a veteran of the early 1980s, when foreigners dined at the Beijing Hotel and a few other formal dining rooms.

In addition to restaurants, there are now entire districts devoted to bars, cafes, and tea houses. Sanlitun, near the foreign embassies, and Houhai (Rear Lake), along both sides of the serpentine lake north of the Forbidden City, are the best known.

However, the local Chinese often opt for more mundane streets, such as Dongzhimennei Street. Best known as Guijie, it offers some 200 eateries with various styles of foods from across the country.

Shopping

For foreigners, shopping in Beijing has also entered the 21st century with a vengeance.

Guan Tong, 46, a former assistant at the Beijing Friendship Store, recalls that in the old days, it was an honor to work at the only store in Beijing that was authorized by the government to receive foreign guests.

The Beijing Friendship Store on Jianguomenwai Street was once the only department store open to foreigners. [China Daily]

"We had to pass an English examination and an interview. The training included international etiquette and knowledge of traditional Chinese goods, such as silk, jade, pearl, as well as the 'four Chinese treasures' - brushes, ink sticks, paper and ink stones," she said.

The Friendship Store was only allowed to receive foreign exchange certificates (FECs), a currency used by foreigners before 1994, she added.

Guan could never have imagined the range of shops and other commercial facilities available in Beijing today.

From boutique department stores (such as the World Trade Centre, The Place, and Shin Kong Place) to giant shopping malls like the Golden Resources Shopping Mall to hubs of individual shops (such as the Xiushui Silk Market and the Hongqiao Pearl Market), the range of domestic and imported goods available to both foreigners and local consumers is simply staggering.

Dongsi Street, a 15-minute drive from Tian'anmen Square, is regarded by locals as Beijing's Shibuya (the fashion district in Tokyo). Here there are boutiques operated by young trend-setters, as well as established shops with staffs of experienced tailors.

Feng Yanyang has run a jeans store called "Cool Jeans" on Dongsi for almost 10 years. In addition to jeans - both brand name and locally made - her shop sells second-hand luxury brands, which are popular with foreign visitors.

"Years ago, we'd get a few foreigners, usually students. But now, a lot of overseas travelers come here in search of our creative goods," said Feng, wearing a tank top and Diesel baggy jeans with a pair of FitFlops.

Next door is a tattoo studio run by a 25-year-old artist from Hong Kong. "He's doing very well. His customers, including foreigners, have increased noticeably since 2006, when the shop opened," said Feng.