Bistrot B serves food fit for a king

Beijing's revitalized modest French dining spot, Bistrot B, has updated its spring menu under the watchful eye of US chef, Jarrod Verbiak, who is the one-time protege of Daniel Boulud, one of America's leading culinary authorities. The Champvallon Louis XIV casserole of braised lamb, potato and onion confit is a must-try as the potato and onion absorb every drop of the Australian lamb's rendered cooking juices, which are brought to life with the essence of rosemary and garlic.

Jingguang Center, Hujialou, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6536-0066.

Making sure the spice is right

Sichuan cold chuanr (kebab) is a snack that originates from Chengdu, Sichuan province, and involves putting boiled chuanr in a pot of spicy soup base. The recipe of the soup is the key to the dish, and Chuanchuanjin, a cold chuanr restaurant, uses 27 different spices and stew them for four hours to make the soup. Other authentically-flavored Sichuan snacks at Chuanchuanjin include spicy duck blood curd and Sichuan pickles.

279 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6401-8667.