Tech away restaurants

Smoke made of green tea rises from the smoked salmon and avocado roll. Shark fin in saffron soup comes in a transparent capsule. Rosy beads in bird's nest soup look like fish roe but turn out to be made of jam. These culinary stunts are the latest creations at one of Beijing's most popular Peking roast duck restaurants, Da Dong, which has introduced molecular gastronomy, providing pleasant surprises and new tasting sensations.

Molecular gastronomy is the latest fashion and much talked about in Beijing's dining scene. Brian McKenna, British chef at Shangri-La Beijing's Blu Lobster restaurant, was the first to apply the technology here. One dish, watermelon bisque, is actually served in test tubes. The cooking method is also available at several restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai.