Taste of home

It had to be the softest opening ever: No sign outside, which can be tricky at night if you are looking for the new Home Plate Bar-B-Que in Beijing's humming Sanlitun district. But fans - lots of them - are apparently following their noses, as we did, passing through wafts of applewood smoke to be greeted by the restaurant staff at the front door.

On two recent visits, the new outlet was the busiest eatery in Sanlitun's Courtyard 4, once a sleepy area despite the dance buzz of Salsa Caribe and the smart set browsing The Bookworm. Adding nightlife to the zone now are Basement Club, The Rug and Touch - with a lip-smacking martini for just 50 yuan ($8).

Home Plate will be the everyman's reason to explore the neighborhood, and the tender and tasty beef brisket - the star of the menu - is just one reason. The space is open and attractive, with Johnny Cash and other country legends crooning from the speakers. Interior red-brick walls flaunt both industrial chic and low-brow beer signs.