Bei must be one of Beijing's best-looking restaurants. It's dark and moody - but in a good way. It's probably the only one where you'll hear Portishead on the soundtrack - also a good thing. They call it "North Asian" cuisine, which I felt translates as Japanese-influenced aesthetics and presentation, lots of sushi and sashimi, miso, tempura etc, some great sake, with a bit of Chinese and Korean added into the mix.
If you're coming mainly for the sushi or sashimi you can order a la carte, but the set menus give you a more rounded idea of what Bei's about. The sets feature multiple exquisitely-presented courses - each course, the portions are smallish, but guaranteed you will leave stuffed. The sashimi is excellent, surely among Beijing's best, while you'll recognize some of the dishes as down-to-earth Beijing xiaochi and noodle dishes refined and presented with extra flair.
It's difficult to assess what "value for money" means in Beijing, with so many good restaurants out there where you can spend less than RMB 100. Still, there aren't many offering Bei's combination of design and good food - at that, it's worth the extra spend. If they could shave 100rmb or so off the prices, I'd probably be returning every month. As it is, I'm saving up to visit again.
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