Tuna is probably one of the most unpolluted fishes in the world. It is popular in countries like Japan, DPRK and the US. Most tuna houses are small in these countries, especially compared to The Tuna House , a tuna-themed restaurant just opened in Beijing.

Measuring 5,000 square meters, this humongous restaurant takes up nearly two floors of the China Garments Mansion, just opposite China World Trade Center to the east. The 3rd floor has many private rooms, while the fourth floor has both a public area and private rooms.

The restaurant is a joint venture between Chinese and Korean enterprises, and it can be said that it is a Japanese restaurant in Korean style. The beautiful decoration incorporates much of the original timber structure. Many of the private rooms are tatami style, with movable chairs around tables set inside the floor. Bigger private rooms have TV sets and even karaoke equipment.

The tuna is from Dalian of Northeast China's Liaoning Province. Fished from 400-1,000 meters deep, once caught the tuna is kept at below minus 80 degrees. It is said that the fish is not just fresh but also replenishes nutritious elements, such as dehydrated acid (DHA), which is good for the nervous system, and Omega3, which can help prevent cardiovascular illnesses.

The restaurant's 128-yuan buffet provides 27 items of sashimi and small dishes. There are several different tuna sashimi, including white tuna, and big-eye tuna. Tuna sashimi is also served according to different parts, for example, from the head, neck, belly and the fin. There is also salmon sashimi. Tuna is in a lot of the dishes, including soup and salad.

As well as the buffet there is an a la carte menu, and a lunch set dinner menu. The buffet menu has four different price levels from 128-528 yuan, offering different quality tuna. For a buffet above 128 yuan, one can ask for more of the same tuna sashimi.

Most menus are only in Chinese. The lunch set menu is in both Chinese and English. Some waitresses can speak Korean; some managers can speak English.

Text by Ye Jun and photo by Yang Shizhong

9:30am-9:30pm. The Tuna House, 3rd & 4th floors, China Garments Mansion, 99 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District.

(China Daily 03/28/2007 page8)