Shenyang, China

In a city of seven million residents chances favor the diner in being able to locate at least eight or nine restaurants worthy of the tongue's attention. And while Shenyang will never be mistaken for being the dining diva of China, it does enjoy the luxury of variety. Local styles ranging from Cantonese (light and mild) to Liaoning (thick and spicy) are many, as are western, Korean, Muslim and more. The better restaurants, in terms of service and food consistency, tend to reside inside the hotels. In addition, they are more tourist accommodating by providing bilingual menus. For recommendations on independent eateries, query the hotel concierges.

For authentic Liaoning fare snatch a table at the Boat House located inside the Gloria Inn Shenyang. Its ever-changing menu adheres to the Chinese saying "we cook everything with four legs except chairs and tables" by offering smoked chicken, bear's paw, shark's fin, bird's nest, fried shrimp and more. Its spacious main dining room is bright and airy and affords spanning window views. VIP rooms are available for special occasions. Na Jian Guan honors the area's Manchu heritage with Manchu dishes featuring barbecued beef and mutton and plenty of stewed items. For the utmost in Liaoning cuisine, find your way into the Lao Bian Dumpling Restaurant. For more than an amazing 170 years its kitchen has been filling local bellies with jiaozi—dumplings packed with minced pork and various vegetables. Despite an absence of decor, this two-story dining legend's tables are always occupied. The service is poor on good days, yet that never deters the crowds. Next-door proximity to the Imperial Palace makes it popular with tourists.

Shenyang's glut of Cantonese restaurants has caused many visitors to presumptuously conclude: the author of China's Cantonese recipe book must be one very wealthy human being. Wealthy indeed. The city seemingly, by some arcane government decree, has a Cantonese restaurant on every street corner. Sifting the good from the bad is easy if you stick to the hotel restaurants. Shang Palace, located inside the Traders Hotel pampers diners with a regal setting of white tablecloths with dark red napkins. The five-star Sheraton Shenyang Lido Hotel's Celestial Court offers a five-star setting complemented by five-star menu. If the evening needs the stamp of being special, phone in a reservation to the Lin De Court. Located inside the four star Hotel Inter-Continental , its menu offers such Cantonese favorites as shark's fin, bird's nest, and a host of seafood options. The Times Plaza 's appropriately named Canton Restaurant also enjoys a favorable standing, especially with locals, as does the Holiday Inn's Cafe Asiana with families. Or for seafood splendor amble into the Gloria Plaza's Sampan Cantonese Seafood Restaurant. All the offerings are just-caught fresh and include everything from shrimp and oysters to sea bass and eel.

Mikado's, in the five star Marriott Hotel, represents Japanese cuisine at its delicious best. Besides the usual sushi and sashimi offerings, it is best known for its teppanyaki cooking. Japanese trained chefs dazzle diners with a dexterous display of flashing knives as they chop, dice, and stir meats and vegetables on a tabletop grill. Large groups especially favor this restaurant.

If the stomach grumbles for western fare try Traders Cafe in the Traders Hotel. Its fourth floor setting affords diners great city views while enjoying steak, pasta and a variety of other European dishes. The Hotel Inter-Continental's Lombardi Fine Pizza and Grill attracts a massive local following for its Texas-perfect steaks, heaping pasta dishes, and thick crust pizzas. Or for something more casual in a livelier setting hunker down in the hotel's Mulligan's Irish Bar. Sandwiches dominate its menu.

Fast food restaurants are a common sight throughout Shenyang's streets, especially in downtown. Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut lead the grab-and-eat list.

With close to 7 million citizens Shenyang can be aptly described as sprawling. Because of this, the city lacks a convenient central location glowing with an abundance of attractions. Visitors must travel blocks, sometimes miles, to gape at Shenyang's few, but impressive "Do Not Miss" sites. This especially becomes a problem when time is limited. An organized itinerary can best combat Shenyang's distance gaps and help save money on taxi costs.

Downtown Centrally located Zhongshan Square serves as sound starting point. Always bustling with human activity ranging from tai chi practitioners in the morning to soccer games at night it provides a good handle to the overall feel of the city. A massive statue of Chairman Mao, built in 1969, leers as the park's centerpiece. With arms raised many locals joke that the statue appears to be in permanent directing traffic mode. It is worthy of three snapshots, or four if ballroom dancers (a noted form of Chinese exercise) are traipsing about the park. Visitors in search of shopping can also use the square as a good stepping point onto Shenyang's famous Taiyuan Street. Full of department stores, chain boutique shops, and fast food restaurants it represents a classic example of east meets west.

From here wander two blocks southeast to the Liaoning Provincial Museum on Beisanjing Street. Deemed as one of northeast China's largest museums it packs more than 3,000 artifacts. It almost serves as an apology for Shenyang's museum shortage by parading a little of everything ranging from classic Chinese paintings and embroidery to massive dinosaur bones.

After exiting the museum follow Daxi Road northeast until it turns into Shenyang Road and look for the Imperial Palace on your left. Stunning, staggering, spectacular and wondrous are just a few of the many adjectives that aptly describe Shenyang's choice attraction. Built in 1625 during the Qing dynasty, it mimics a smaller version of Beijing's famous Forbidden City. Out of all of Shenyang's attractions, this one should not be ignored. Cameras, unfortunately, are not allowed inside. After touring the palace wander down Shengjing Ancient Cultural Street . Classic Chinese buildings fronted by red and green wooden beams and ornate eaves cast visitors back to 17th century China. Souvenirs are deep and varied.

Hail a taxi and wander north to the Northern Pagoda . While it will not numb the brain like the Imperial Palace , it stands as one of the best remaining pagodas in all of Shenyang. It, if anything, provides up-close insight to classic Chinese architecture.

After snapping a few photos board a taxi east to the 9.18 Museum . Named after September 18, 1931, the day Japanese forces invaded Shenyang, it provides detailed insight into the event and the subsequent Japanese occupation. The museum's anti-Japanese lean, however, tends to border on propaganda.

Cap this tour by again hailing a taxi, but this time northwest, to Beiling Park, Shenyang's largest. Pad around scenic paths, huff a paddleboat on a lake, or tour the vaunted North Tomb , built in 1643. And if time allows visit the Xinle Relics Museum just west of the park.

Southern Shenyang and Beyond Begin the tour in the visually harmonious Shenyang Botanical Garden . More than 1,000 varieties of flowers and trees mesh with a landscape of scenic ponds to create the kind of setting normally only found on the covers of home and garden magazines. While there wander into the Shenyang Steam Exhibition Hall . A train museum inside a Botanical Garden seems odd, yet somehow it works. More than 20 classic steam engines from around the world are displayed, including one from 1907.

Then rent a car or ride a tour bus about 40 miles southeast from here to Benxi Water Cave National Park . Hailed as one of the "wonders of the world" that dates back more than 5 million years, the cave is so massive that guide boats lead guests through a wild labyrinth of stalagmites and stalactites.