Luce - located in the heart of Beijing’s Gulou area, where quaint hutongs (traditional Chinese houses) line narrow cobbled streets under the shadow of the majestic Bell and Drum Towers, this classy, casual little Italian eatery is a real find. Hidden behind an inconspicuous red brick wall, the relaxed white interior is accented by plants and light wooden furniture.

The meal began on a delicious note with a slightly sweet bruschetta-inspired bread spread that set the stage for the rest of the meal.
The nicely-sized menu offered a great selection of Mediterranean-Italian fare ranging from 300-day grain-fed rib-eye over to the unusually named “chocolate soup”, quite the misnomer for standard chocolate souffle.

My dinner partner G and I chose the summery-light pan-fried young chicken with lemon butter and grilled mushrooms (RMB55) and the slow-braised beef short ribs with citrus couscous and vegetables (RMB78).

While the chicken struck the perfect tone with a balance between tangy lemon and perfectly grilled mushrooms, the short ribs were a little on the soggy side. The couscous, on the other hand, was light enough to complement Beijing’s quickly rising summer temperatures, and the vegetables in both dishes were lightly grilled, without much oil to weigh them down.

The quiet atmosphere makes this restaurant perfect for a relaxed date or simple dinner, while the adjacent lounge (with its extensive wine selection) makes a great location to share a bottle of wine… or two… with a group of small friends. The light and airy, but cozy interior design is a breath of fresh air in comparison to many of Beijing’s over-styled restaurants. To top it all off, Luce’s rooftop patio offers a great view of two of the must-see ancient Chinese monuments in Beijing – the Drum and Bell Towers.

Went last night and thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

The food was very good and reasonably priced for the quality. Staffs were friendly and helpful and were appropriate for the type of restaurant. The manager was chatty and friendly which was nice without being too intrusive.

The setting is nice, more of a couples restaurant or medium size party but still nice.

Told that there would be a long wait for food because of a large party in the restaurant but the wait was very reasonable and the food came quicker than expected.

The steak was cooked exactly how I like it and within a good portion. This always goes well with me and the wine for the meal was ok. Good portions, well cooked in a nice setting.

Maybe not the best Italian I've been to in Beijing, but definitely worth going for an alternative.

I know I will go again..