At the heart of China World Trade Center is the huge shopping mall. International brands such as Fendi and Kenzo feature strongly although there is also space for some less exclusive local brands. There is a small department store where prices are a little lower, a branch of the CRC Supermarket, a food court and even a decent sized ice rink. Dining options within the mall include Lotus Thai, a good restaurant that suffers a little from its shopping mall atmosphere and a branch of the stylish Sichuanese eatery Southern Beauty. Cantonese fast food at its best is available at the always-busy branch of GL Café.
Upstairs from the shopping mall is the China World Hotel. Don’t miss the chance to dine at Aria, quite simply one of the most elegant restaurants in Beijing . The food is impeccable and their set lunch meals are very good value. Couples looking for a romantic evening should ask for the balcony table, an intimate nook for two that overlooks the hotel lobby and offers complete seclusion from other idners.
Coming out of the shopping mall on the western side you will see a branch of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. The Right next door there is a small deli that sells fresh bread and tempting pastries. Their ready-made sandwiches are a good option for lunch on the go. Round the corner from here is a Haagen-Daz ice-cream parlour, a KFC and the Taj Pavilion, a very good Indian restaurant.
Continue walking north from Trader’s and you’ll find the e-Tower, home to Concept Café for ‘California Cuisine’, the De-Con Café serving Hong Kong, Singaporean, Vietnamese and Thai food; and Mian Ai Mian, a popular Japanese noodle eatery. The e-tower also houses a branch of the Bridge School , a popular choice for these needing survival Chinese classes.
Moving from China World, which I just one block north to the Kerry Centre. The Kerry Centre has its own shopping mall, albeit smaller and a little less exclusive than China World. The Vista Clinic is an international standard clinic conveniently located inside the mall. The Kerry Centre Hotel, which is accessible either from the street or via the shopping mall, has a few dining options, including the Horizon Chinese restaurant that does some very good lunch time dim sum, and the new and visually stunning lounge bar-Centro.
From the Kerry Center , it is worth taking a shirt walk to discover one of Beijing ’s most consistently good local restaurants. Walk roughly 50 meters east of the Kerry Center, cross to the opposite side of the road and in one of the alleys that run south you will see the sign for the Xiao Wang’s Home Restaurant. Their food is billed as home style Beijing but the menu is wide and accommodating. Check out their all-male team of writing staff-perhaps the only one of its kind in Beijing !
Across the third ring road from the Kerry Centre is a grey monolithic block tower, marking the entrance, ironically enough, to the Arts and Design center of Tsinghua University . CCTV’s new Building is under construction just to the north.
Jianwai Soho can be recoganized easily. A forest of dazzling white towers has been built, with more still to come around a breezy plaza. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes, furniture shops, as well as a branch of American fitness club Bally’s and a branch of the ex-pat standby for groceries, Jenny Lou’s.
Heading east there is the China Merchants’ Center Facing onto Jianguomenwai are the head offices of Motorolla and Hewlett Packard. Whilst behind them is the swish Ascott apartment complex. La Seine in the Ascott is a good French restaurant.
It is a good choice to visit the Days Hotel & Suites Beijing and Panjiayuan Market during the weekend, to the south of The China World Hotel, a 10 minute drive. You will find another Chinese Shadow Puppet this big anywhere in China , nor in the world, apart from the one in the lobby. Taking a short rest in their A+A Club is a very good choice after shopping in Pnajiayuan Market. However, many local expat prefer a dinner in their Reagl Palace Theatre Restaurant where spectacular “The Yellow Earth Cyclone……Experience China ’s Cultural Soul” stage performance is presented nightly during dinner time.
Making a short 1km journey east is SOHO.A small community of shops and restaurants has grown in this popular office and residential area. As well as a number of highly rated Hong Kong fast food joints, there is a branch of the old Chaoyang Park favorite, Annie’s Café and a very cool Yunnan restaurant, South Silk Road. Also located at SOHO is a branch of the famous Wenruxinju Teahouse, and elegant and atmospheric place with an interesting food menu to compliment the tea list, Just south of SOHO, ou will find the Noodle Loft, and unusual restaurant that serves down to earth Shaanxi dishes, in particular pulled noodles, in a hip atmosphere.
|
Travel expert from http://www.etours.cn and http://www.tour-beijing.com
|