This elegant Japanese restaurant, a favorite of many Shunyi-residents, has opened a new branch in the heart of Sanlitun. The menu’s emphasis is on capturing the essence of quality ingredients, which in turn means higher prices. Each of the several small private rooms feature a teppanyaki grill as the centerpiece (hence the restaurant’s suitability for group dinners), and regulars give the entertainingly prepared (by a private chef) and artistically presented food high ratings.

With another branch on Guanghua Lu, this new Wangjing restaurant delivers decent Italian cuisine in a charming, unpretentious setting. The prices don’t compare to Annie’s, but the food, decor and service have a distinctly homey-rather-than-chain-feel – from the vintage wallpaper and dimly lit candles to the congenial, well-informed staff.

If this place were a cop, it would be Eliot Ness. Meaning it’s “by the book” – the book being The Nanluogu Xiang Manual to Opening a Cafe. It reads something like this. Step 1: Beautify a traditional courtyard with Christmas lights, leafy things and vintage radios. Step 2: Craft an unwieldy “status” menu packed with pricey coffee, brand name liquors and pizza. Step 3: Hire at least 27 staff. Step 4 … you get the picture. Hutong’r has sensibly remained true to that surefire formula, so you can expect festive lighting, heavily marked-up drinks, acceptably cheesy pizza (RMB 42-78), passable “Italian noodles” (RMB 30) and overzealous service. Thereupon, besides the sheer scale of the joint, there’s little to distinguish Hutong’r from its many rivals. Case closed.

Daily 11am-1am. 105 Ju’er Hutong, Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District. (6400 6782) 东城区南锣鼓巷菊儿胡同105号

The revival of Tongli Studios continues with “Parisian Vietnamese Brasserie” Muse’s new branch. Primed to attract ample foot traffic, it’s certainly a big improvement over the now-defunct Guanghua Lu incarnation. Diners familiar with Muse will recognize the Gallic-influenced mahogany theme, parquet flooring and black-and-white photos of Paris. The menu also remains virtually unchanged; the signature “Train Lights” pho with beef slices, tendon and meatballs (RMB 42), Nem Saigon Shrimp Rolls (RMB 25) and set lunch meals (consisting of rice dishes made from chicken, pork, beef and/or shrimp, RMB 28-38) are all intact. The food, however, is better here than at other branches of Muse past and present. A glass of rich Vietnamese-style coffee costs RMB 18 (hot) or RMB 20 (iced). Across the street, Luga’s Pho Pho offers Vietnamese dining at lower prices and with a more straight-up, carefree ambiance; if you want a slicker experience rounded out with a bigger variety of dishes, Muse is the place to be.

The White Bar at Lan, a glitzy sweep of marble beneath burlesque chandeliers, has been reborn as a sushi lunch buffet for the coming months. Diners perch on faux-chrome stools as chefs prepare a procession of fishy dishes that keep on coming until you’ve had your fill. At RMB 200 (including free-flow Asahi beer), the quality definitely fits the price tag. Sushi of yellowtail, white tuna and salmon is silky fresh, and the wasabi is the real stuff. Inventive maki, notably the kung pao chicken rolls, brought a smile to the face; filled with spicy tempura chicken, encircled in barbecued eel fillet and dusted with crab roe, they’re lip-smackingly good. If you still haven’t ogled Lan’s astonishing interior, White Bar gives you a fine excuse to pay a visit.

Daily 11am-2.30pm. 4/F, LG Twin Towers, 12B Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District. (5109 6012/13)
朝阳区建国门外大街乙12号LG双子座4层