Turkish delights

There is a trio of Middle Eastern restaurants on Beijing's Gongti Beilu strip near the Sanlitun village, and it can be tough to choose among them.

Since I'm convinced that I was Persian in a previous life, Rumi delights my heart with its lean grilled lamb, savory stews and alabaster elegance. At the other end, 1001 Nights can be charming and offers better food than you usually get at a belly-dancing parlor.

But my feet most often take me to Turkish Mum, the cozy eatery in the middle. The service is super-friendly, there's a nice selection of wine, and the food combines the pleasure of home cooking with enough presentation panache to make it a dining out experience well worth the reasonable prices.