New Openings: Zen 1903

Hong Kong native Ernest Ip’s latest addition to his restaurant archipelago is well-tailored to the swish confines of Ch’ien Men 23 (née Legation Quarter). Like his three other Beijing venues, this butterfly-themed restaurant specializes in Cantonese cuisine, but also serves a smattering of Sichuan spice and Peking duck (RMB 188 for a whole bird).

Daytime dim sum items include the Zen Signature shrimp dumplings (RMB 20) and tonic soups, including the delectable pumpkin soup with crab (RMB 38/bowl).

The menu is rounded out with barbecued offerings, including roast suckling pig with goose liver (RMB 168); poultry creations, such as simmered goose with chestnut, bamboo shoot and mushroom (RMB 88); seafood dishes, like sautéed Australian scallops with ginger sauce (RMB 128); and desserts, notably the fresh homemade almond cream with egg white (RMB 38).

Zen 1903 (蝶1903)
Daily 11am-10pm. Ch'ien Men 23, 23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (6559 9608) 东城区前门东大街23号

Search for more Beijing restaurants by name, category and neighborhood or let the rest of Beijing know about your favorite place to grab a bite by adding a user review of any of the restaurants in our online directory. Every week we'll award the best review with vouchers to some of Beijing's best restaurants, see the newsletter sidebar for more details. Can't see your favorite restaurant in there? Submit a suggestion and we can add it to our database.