Azerbaijan was all about fusion before it was cool

President Xi Jinping's swing through Central Asia over the weekend, touting the legacy of the ancient Silk Road, inspired many news stories. The thought of China's leader being hosted in that region also made some of us hungry.

We sated those hunger pangs with a trip to Beijing's Russian district, where Kavkaz restaurant caters to the food cravings of the entire region. There we found fluffy Uzbek pilaf and Georgian chicken with a rich, creamy garlic sauce. There were Turkish-style kebabs and a savory version of piti, the lamb soup commonly served in a small clay urn.

In the forefront were specialties from Azerbaijan, a country whose cuisine was all about fusion long before Michelin-starred chefs began to blend culinary traditions in a quest to be chic. Kavkaz takes its name and cuisine from the Caucasus region that includes southern Russia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.