Best Place to Overindulge

Beijing has succumbed to Sunday Brunch Buffet Mania. First, there was the one that started it all; the boozy Garden Court champagne brunch that defined "lazy Sunday," and then came Cafe Cha, seducing us with its hidden garden. These days, the trendiest spots are in the Financial Street area, such as Monsoon where you can relax with live jazz and classical music, or the authentic dim sum buffet at Si Chou Lu. But we can't forget newcomer Senses, only several months on the scene and already the talk of the town. So go ahead and break your diet - in the most luxurious and decadent of ways.

Best to Pique Your Palate's Pioneer Spirit

Most of us would rather stick to our comfort zone than gamble on an unknown. In the Chinese culinary world, Tibetan food is the great unknown and like most mysterious things is approached with much apprehension. But don't knock it till you've tried it, and try it at Manilongda Thangka Bar. Refreshingly mellow atmosphere and stunning Tibetan thangka paintings will awake the intrepid explorer in you. The kitchen turns out authentic Tibetan dishes such as tsib ma, crispy fried mutton ribs, and a tsa ra, a simple, spicy tomato and yak stew. Sit down with the hospitable Tibetan owners and have them be your cultural conduit.

Best Lunch Set Menu

How low can you go? As low as 38 kuai for a gourmet set lunch menu, like the one on offer at Time Cafe? And when we say gourmet, we're serious: delicate, flaky garfish on a generous bed of baby greens, or chunks of roasted chicken tossed with juicy pears and rocket. And that's just the appetizers. Head chef and co-owner Raymond Ye left Aria to bring us five-star food at one-star prices. The menu changes regularly, but some popular dishes have become staples. Be sure to try the crispy-skinned duck, or, for 10 kuai more, you can get the expertly seared sirloin steak.

Best Vegan

Why are the cheese-forsakers of Beijing flocking to Hutong Pizza? The secret is not in the sauce, but inside a bun: to the great delight of the city's most under-served culinary minority, the restaurant's huge and hearty veggie burger happens to be vegan. Propped up with a serving of thick fries, the burger explodes from its carbo confines in a messy, delicious manner that requires multiple napkins. This behemoth is no Boca-burger - it's an old school, rice-based, gloriously sloppy concoction that harkens back to the days when vegans had to count on ingenuity and a good spice cabinet for a satisfying meal.

Best Interpretation of Peppers

When shuizhuyu just doesn't do it for you anymore, try Carthage for an alternative take on spice. This homey spot serves up generous plates of North African-style couscous with savory homemade merguez sausage filled with lamb and plenty of aromatic spices. But your attention will be on the harissa, the paste of chilies, garlic, and cumin all mixed by some voodoo priest chanting a spell - because only magic could produce this addictive scarlet paste. It induces a burning in the mouth that sits in that line-thin gap between pleasure and pain. Order double and smear on everything.

Best Burger

There is light at the end of the tunnel for lovers of meat between bread. Madame Wang's "Chinese Hamburger"will help satiate those burger-cravings long enough to tide you over till your next trip back to the Occident. We're talking about roujiamo, those round white buns filled with chunks of five-spiced pork; thick enough to require gaping of the mouth, cheap enough to be ordered by the dozen. Drop by Madame Wang's Shaanxi eatery Xian Bai Wei and see if you can coax out of her the secret to her pork sauce. Hey, you never know.

Best Kindler of Romance

Luce Cafe manages to strike all the right notes for a long night of serenading. The interior is understated yet atmospheric with flattering, dim lights and a quietness that encourages the whispering of sweet nothings. Their competent kitchen turns out thoughtfully prepared, updated Italian classics and luscious desserts such as a chocolate tart so rich and smooth, it says, "I think you are wonderful and deserve only the best." Their discreet service leaves the two of you alone to feed each other spoonfuls of the stuff and lean over the appropriately sized tables for kisses.

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