+39 Italian Restaurant and Lounge
三久府邸

So-called authentic Italian joints have been popping up around Beijing by the dozen and it’s hard to tell them apart. Simone Hu – born and raised in Milan – is determined to stand out from the crowd with his catchy moniker, inspired by Italy’s country code, and by steering clear of stereotypical Italian fare (no pizza or spaghetti ‘n’ meatballs here). Patrons can enjoy modern Italian cuisine either in the sleek stylish setting downstairs or surrounded by eclectic artwork upstairs under a glass roof. At the time of going to print, +39 was serving a four-course set menu (RMB 128) of rich duck ravioli, delicate lamb chops, and a surprisingly sophisticated apple pie: two tiers of crepe with vanilla ice cream, sandwiching thinly sliced apples and pockets of cinnamon chocolate sauce – grandma never made it like this. +39’s chefs show true potential, and promise us a full working menu by this month. Ian Billard Jan 07

• Wangjing