Kunming's 1910 'station' boasts century-old charm

It's a Sunday afternoon in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, and warm weather has drawn a crowd to the outdoor dining deck of 1910 La Gare du Sud.

Sited where the community's south railway station once stood, the restaurant boasts an airy, light interior with pleasant seafoam-green walls. But the sunshine is more compelling, and the al fresco tables are in big demand.

We start by ordering beer along with a local specialty, deep-fried cheese rolls with rose-jam filling and garnish, and begin to peruse the menu. Ironically, this simple start would be the staff's biggest challenge of the afternoon, at least for our table. Two cold beers quickly appear on the service counter near our table, and stand unnoticed by the servers, who are admittedly quite busy.