Taking the time to make a fresh start

The tempting patisseries that are displayed in the cake fridge in the center of the restaurant are all handmade by Yang's team. After taking over the kitchen ahead of the restaurant's opening, Yang insisted on using his solid culinary background to create all the sauces, pre-meal breads, desserts and patisseries directly on the premises. The tangy, citrus sauce that Yang created for his baby-spinach salad made of oranges, raisins, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese helps to elevate the flavor of this simple dish.

He uses the peels from an orange, grapefruit and lemon mixed with concentrated juice to create the sauce, which has to be boiled in water several times before it's boiled with orange juice.

"I got the idea in Naples, Italy, where I grew up. They always use fruit to cook," says Yang. "Even though it takes us a long time to create, we make the sauce every day to ensure it's fresh."

Organic eggs with porcini besciamella, asparagus and truffle sauce is another signature dish that highlights Yang's innovative approach to cooking. When the egg yoke is mixed with the white sauce, an interesting combination of soft and creamy flavors melt in the mouth.

"Many people think eggs are an everyday ingredient and the way of eating them is a bit boring. So I wanted to cook an egg dish in a way you wouldn't normally try at home," says Yang.

Yang adds five different types of porcini mushrooms to the white sauce, which he leaves to soak beforehand, to add a strong, earthy flavor to complement the truffles. "I also add some dry mushroom powder to enrich the flavor," says Yang.

The main dish, Yang's sous vide Angus beef tenderloin with sea sedge powder, is a must-try. He matches the no-nonsense presentation of the beef dish with a simple yet artistic mustard-and-pea sauce and a red wine reduction - or any other sauce that the customer requests.

"I lived in Guangdong province for a while, and I noticed how people there liked to make soup using seafood and meat. So I thought of using sea sedge powder to lift the freshness of the beef," says Yang. The black-tailed prawn and seafood bisque, a traditional favorite, has been winning praise from users on Dazhong Dianping, a popular Chinese food-review website. The creamy soup is made from fresh prawns, clams, scallops and octopus - and a handmade tomato sauce as a base.

For his take on lava cake, Yang uses the world-famous Valrhona chocolate, which he recommends customers pair with a cup of Lavazza coffee as the perfect summer treat.

If you go

11:30 am-10 pm, 2/F North Tower, China Overseas Plaza. No 8 Guanghuadongli, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-5290-3887.