Taste of the times

Beijing restaurants are taking full advantage of fresh spring produce, Ye Jun discovers.

Great herbs and vegetables have arrived on restaurants' dining tables on the breath of spring, and some chefs in Beijing are taking the chance to cook up tasty and healthy fare. Southwest China's Yunnan province is famous for producing wild flowers and herbs. Some of these are available only in spring and early summer. Rainbow Yunnan Restaurant at Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace has taken some of these delicacies to incorporate into healthy and delicious dishes. The restaurant has drafted a wild vegetables menu featuring 16 dishes made with 15 herbs. The dishes are fried, cold assorted, or paired with egg, beef and aubergine.

"There is a reason the herbs grow in spring. And there is a reason we eat them," says Zhang Jianhui, executive chef with Rainbow. "The wild vegetables can not only help people lose some weight but also increase immunity."