If Twilo existed in a cartoon, it would probably be hidden inside a seemingly innocuous tree trunk. As with Haze, a few meters away, an extremely steep staircase leads you to the basement dance floor – although at Twilo you emerge awkwardly behind the DJ booth. At least it looks good, thanks to a futuristic, contoured design.

Accessed via struggling Italian restaurant Abella, Doron falls short of the impressive standards set by other Japanese bars. The shabby, threadbare carpeted stairs up to the bar inspire little confidence, and the decor does nothing to alleviate those doubts. The space is split between a lounge with deep couches, and a fully stocked but uninspiring bar area whose design appears inspired by a back-alley pool hall.

When I go out with friends on a Friday night, I want a good bar with cheap drinks and plenty of space to dance. This new club answers on both counts. Inheriting the space most recently used by the short-lived Mango Club, Wu is all black and red decor, with raw, unplastered walls. (Designer Paul Gelinas also worked on The Bridge Cafe and owns Guozijian store Lost & Found.)

Bianyifang might be Beijing’s oldest duck roasters, but long have they lurked in the feathery shadow of another time-honored brand. One hundred and fifty years ago, Quanjude took the former’s fowl, crisped the skin over a fruit-wood flame and rolled it in pancakes. They haven’t looked back since.

Perhaps they ought to, for the granddaddies appear to be making a comeback. This shiny new branch of Bianyifang can seat around 400 diners (and that’s less than half the capacity of the restaurant they opened at Qianmen last year).

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.