Xi He Ya Ju Restaurant, Beijing

This traditional outdoor courtyard restaurant serves up a wide range of regional Chinese cuisine in beautiful and relaxed surroundings. Popular with foreigners, it offers them a chance to experience the versatility of Chinese food: Sichuanese, Northeastern, Shanghainese and Cantonese are just a few of the cuisines available, and the English menu makes ordering easy. Go with a large group to sample many dishes. To be honest, the portions are smaller, the quality lower and the prices higher than in other similar establishments, but you may be willing to put up with this for the convenience and surroundings.