Xinjishi exudes the sticky sweetness of a Shanghai summer. We started with lotus root slices (RMB 16), which arrived promptly, stuffed with sticky rice and covered with an osmanthus-scented glaze. We then smacked our lips at the "grandmother pork" in soy sauce (RMB 48).

With its perfect balance of flavors and textures, and sweet melt-in-your-mouth pork fat, eating fatty meat has never been so pleasurable. Our meal was completed with spoonfuls of steamed egg white with crabmeat (RMB 158) that slid down our gullets like custard.

Some may find the cuisine too sweet for their liking, but they will be delighted by the tasteful modern Chinese decor (no pink tablecloths here) and the doting attentiveness of the wait staff. As the second Xinjishi restaurant in Beijing and the newest addition to this international chain, the Gongti Beilu location adds a touch of Shanghai charm to the dusty wheat-bowl of Beijing.

Daily 11am-2pm, 5-9.30pm.
Address:4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 010-6586 8747