Whenever I have visitors coming to Beijing for the first time I take them this little dingy Beijing-style restaurant. It is as authentic as you can get but without the hassle you can run into at similar sized restaurants. The experience my guests get involve sitting on fold out chairs and tables on Baochao people watching with a Yanjing in hand, Locals yelling at the Fuwuyuans, Chinglish on the menu and all the Beijing food favourites that long-termers have come accustomed to and grown to love.

You can't go there and not order their dumplings. There are over thirty combinations to choose from and once you have fought that battle you then have to decide whether you want them steamed or fried! They hand make the dumplings to order so, if you have guests, send them to watch the ladies toil over them. Another tip is to bring any foreign money you have on you..the manager seems to have a child-like fascination with overseas coins and small bills..he will even exchange anything for RMB but I'm not sure if he will base it on any legitmate rate.