Upscale twist

The Tiago restaurant team takes its brand of Italian to a new level with Casa Talia, Mike Peters finds.

Fans of the casual, mid-priced restaurant Tiago in Beijing's Indigo mall could be forgiven for flinching a little when they heard the popular eatery was opening a fancier sister outlet. Or maybe I was the only one who worried that success had gone to owner Katie Li's head.

A visit to the new Raffles City spot quickly relieves any such fears. The hip, open-air space is flooded with natural light, and diners can enjoy a casual meal while watching the baristas and kitchen team ply their arts.