In a city where style increasingly trumps substance, this jaded diner set little store by Xihe Yayuan’s handsome Ming nouveau decor and cushy window booths. While waiting for our duck (RMB 203), we grazed on a refreshing cold winged bean salad and a masterful rendition of daoxiao mian, thick knife-shaved noodles in a caramelized sauce of eggplant, red pepper, garlic and pork. The arrival of a bird roasted over pine wood to resplendent shades of brown and tan announced the moment of truth.

If landlords explained rent increases as being directly related to the number of new restaurants opening in a given area, the residents of Xingfu Ercun could hardly complain. Shimao Department Store has added a dozen new (mostly Chinese) options just a few minutes’ walk away, and this small Vietnamese spot brings further variety even closer to home.

It doesn’t seem that long ago I was making wildly enthusiastic faces about Dali Renjia (my mouth was really full). But in the breakneck world of Beijing chow, chefs move on, places are sold, prices and salt levels rise. Soon enough, your order of tudou wan comes daubed in ketchup.

Thankfully, you can’t keep a good idea down. Wen Juan, one of the former Dali Renjia owners, has opened Haney right across the street.

Thai Express has merit as a handy lunchtime stop. Convenience and speed are the essence, with efficient service and a chilli-coded menu. Thai specialties like Tom Yam Goong (RMB 48) and soft-shell crab are featured, but Thai Express’ strengths are the simpler meat and vegetable curries.

Like almost everything in Soho Shangdu, this tiny cafe is hard to find. You might be charmed by cheerful owner Mela and her cute Chinglish messages, handwritten on chalkboards. If Amelie had her own cafe, it would have been like this. The prices certainly appeal – burgers start from just RMB 17. And the cheeseburgers are good, in a get-what-you-pay-for kind of way. The bun is dry, the whole package a bit roughand-ready, but the effect suits the cafe’s DIY style.