Variety is the spice of life, but those folks at the Quanjude Qianmen branch are full of surprises. They're serving scorpions with duck breast. The dish is apparently a hot favorite and a signature dish - "whole scorpion with sesame duck squares", which translates to a square of duck meat accompanied by a cracker, topped with a nice, crispy scorpion.

According to the restaurant, scorpions eliminate harmful toxins in the body and dispel heat, especially in summer. And this dish has been a summer favorite for the last 10 years.

Try it, for novelty and for health, along with the other signature dishes that the roast duck icon is known for. Expect to pay about 200 yuan ($31) per person.

30 Qianmen Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6511-2418.