Good news for falafel fans and hummus addicts - Nuren Jie refugee Biteapitta has reopened in Sanlitun. The new branch is on the second floor of Tongli Studios, sandwiched between Juliette's and Le Petit Gourmand. They've taken over and combined two previously moribund spaces, one of which has been occupied by a string of short-lived bars like Tanewha, Golden Club and most recently Kick, but at least Biteapitta have put in some large windows - meaning the restaurant is clearly visible from street level. It's a bright, cafe-style space. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry last night and couldn't stop to try the food - but we'll have a review on the way soon.

Located at the top of Qianhai lake, in Houhai, this restaurant offers palatable Yunnan cuisine, to go with a stunning view of the lake. Predominantly wooden furnishings compose the minimalist decor, while service is friendly and helpful. The hand-written, hand-sewn menu presents a varied sampling of Yunnan dishes, such as the traditional steamed clay pot chicken (RMB 48), with rich, hearty mingling flavors of chicken meatballs, mushrooms and melon, and old Kunming’s braised beef (RMB 58), which provides a tasty kick of spice balanced with refreshing mint and spinach leaves. This is a great spot for escaping the Houhai bar scene to take in the view and enjoy a decent meal. Daily 9:30am-11pm. 10 Qianhai Dongyan, Xicheng District (8404 8710)云海肴.
西城区前海东沿10号(什刹海银锭桥头)

It’s certainly a healthy sign when a new restaurant has you waiting for a table on a Saturday night. We were just one group among a raucous mix of Chinese families, foreigners and arty types all munching merrily on affordable Yunnan dishes in this cozy Fangjia 46 restaurant. The colossal menu is geared towards groups; a big wooden bucket of fried rice gratin (RMB 15) was the ideal starchy partner to our tender suanla quanyu (酸辣全鱼, RMB 42) – a whole fish in a sour and spicy sauce. No meal should begin here without a dish of palate-cleansing bohe ye (pictured), crunchy mint leaves dressed in sesame oil (RMB 16). The staff struggled a bit under the weight of orders, but we were kept entertained by a table of tipsy opera students breaking into song at regular intervals.

Daily 11am-10pm. Bldg G, 46 Fangjia Hutong (just south of Guozijian Jie), Dongcheng District. (6400 1725) 埃蒙小镇. 东城区方家胡同46号艺术园区(国子监南临)G座

The owner of this Shuangjing restaurant cut her teeth at Steak & Eggs; she’s now created a restaurant of her own offering a sizeable selection of North American favorites with some Tex-Mex thrown in. Feed on classically greasy American fare like cheeseburgers (RMB 35), roast beef melt subs (RMB 29) and chicken or beef fajitas (RMB 39). There are also dinner plates (entrée, plus salad and dessert, RMB 45-59) and all-day breakfast specials including buttermilk pancakes with two eggs, plus bacon, sausage or ham (RMB 30-35). Generously sized beef burritos (RMB 39) come wrapped in suitably soft, yet resilient tortillas, with assorted vegetables and “Lily’s spices.” The beef nachos (RMB 39) aren’t quite like those in Texas, but they’re entirely edible by Beijing standards. Round-the-clock delivery, catering and Wi-Fi are also available.

The rich, aromatic flavors of the Tajine – stewed dishes prepared in eponymous cone-shaped portable ovens made from glazed earthenware – highlight the new Moroccan menu at Face Beijing. Prepared for several hours over a simmering fire, subtly spicy flavor is infused into the food as the conical lid retains moisture in the dish.

Gulou Dongdajie has added a Mexican restaurant to the mix – Amigo lies just up the street from the north entrance to Nanluoguxiang in a modestly sized space decked out with the requisite décor (sombreros and photos of cathedrals and Aztec temples).

It took seven years for Melbourne-born restaurateur Michelle Garnaut (owner and founder of M on the Fringe in Hong Kong and Shanghai’s M on the Bund) to make Capital M a reality – the results appear to have been well worth the effort.

Sitting directly across from the southeast corner of Qianmen, the terrace affords one of the most impressive views in the city, while the ornate dining room (serving dinner from 6-10pm), with its signature parquet flooring, fireplaces, elaborate mural and elegant lighting, is a suitably opulent setting for indulging in the modern European food on the menu (featuring Mandarin Beluga Caviar, Egyptian lamb cigars and sweet Verrines).

We were surprised a few months back when Luga opened a Vietnamese restaurant. With Luga’s Pho Pho off the ground, its tireless proprietor set about planning the next phase in his campaign for world domination. Finding the space was easy – the upper floor of Luga’s Villa has never really been used to any effect. But what about the food? There was talk of a Brazilian menu, but ultimately Luga has settled for ... Thai food. The menu is still a work in progress, but currently features an unwieldy selection of curries, stir-fries, soups and Thai desserts. The deep-fried shrimp cakes (RMB 32) were decent enough, and the yellow chicken curry (RMB 48) was surprisingly rich and flavorsome. Luga even goes fusion on us with a red curry roast duck (RMB 48). As with Luga’s Villa, it’s happy hour from 4-9pm daily.

Daily 10am-midnight. 3/F (above Luga’s Villa), 7 Sanlitun Beijie (behind 3.3 Shopping Center), Chaoyang District. (6416 2575)
朝阳区三里屯北街7号3层

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.