The Beijing Redux

Sure, we’re sick to death of the Olympics right now, but whatever issues you may have with the sporting event, it can’t be denied that it’s done a lot for Beijing’s development. Gone are the days of muddy, unpaved walkways, and new buildings designed by internationally renowned architects are springing up in all quarters.

But while the new buildings inspire astonishment, admiration or even disgust, it’s the old buildings that are the real jewels in Beijing’s landscape, caught between the old and new face of the capital. Some were worried that they would vanish with the increase in urban development, but it turns out that the city is miles ahead of us when it comes getting the private sector to renovate these monuments for commercial purposes (see how Hong Kong is only just starting to catch onto the trend). We visited the best ones.

Legation Quarter

The Legation Quarter is a “city within a city,” where foreign legations worked and lived 100 years ago. The American Embassy stood right across the Southeast corner of Tiananmen Square, and it contained a courtyard surrounded by gorgeous European-style houses dating back to 1903. It was the only compound that survived the ruthless redevelopment that took place during the Cultural Revolution. Handel Lee is an American-born Chinese who started the trend of turning old buildings into hip spots. He renovated the compound and is turning it into an area for fine-dining restaurants, art galleries and luxury brand shops—just like what he did to The Bund in Shanghai—all of which will open this year. While the area is yet to be fully opened, you should still visit for two highlights: The Beijing Center for the Arts, a contemporary art gallery with a repertory theater space. Right now it’s holding its mind-provoking inaugural exhibition, aptly titled “Where Are We?” Across from the gallery is the French fine dining restaurant Maison Boulud a Pekin, run by Michelin-star chef Daniel Boulud. Offering a tranquil retreat from the buzz of Tiananmen Square, Legation Quarter is fast becoming a hot destination for the hip Beijing crowd.
23 Qianmen Dong Da Jie, www.legationquarter.com.
Nearest metro station: Qianmen

Whampoa Club

For the longest time, Beijing’s only happening scene was in its Eastern quarters, while the Western area was made up of schools, residential blocks and boring state-owned department stores. But with the newly developed Finance Street—a very broad and long boulevard which is fast becoming the new financial centre of the capital—it’s finally chic to hail from the West side. However, the street itself is pretty soulless, being nothing but glass skyscrapers and pokerfaced suits. But there is a reason to go there; right in the middle of this bland, boring area is Whampoa Club, a fine-dining Chinese restaurant renovated from a lovely siheyuan—a traditional Beijing residence with four houses surrounding a courtyard. The street level houses have been transformed into stylish private rooms and bars, with a courtyard for barbecues and two fish ponds. The underground is the main dining area with chains of silverly glass flakes dangling from the ceiling. Just like its first outlet in Shanghai, this restaurant fine-tunes traditional Chinese dishes to make them more delicate and friendlier to diners. One example is the Hakka Yellow Soup. Traditionally delicious though fatty, Malaysian- Chinese chef Yap Poh-weng recreates it by getting rid of the fatty pork and putting in seafood and carrot instead to retain its sweetness. Yes, visit the hole-in-the-wall’s restaurants in Beijing for great authentic food, but for a first-class dining experience that’ll satisfy your tastebuds, you can’t do better than Whampoa Club.
23 Finance St. (or Jin Rong Da Jie), (86)10-8808-8828.
Nearest metro station: Fuxingme

The Imperial Granary

Another historical site turning into a dining and entertainment hub is Nanxincang, or the Imperial Granary in the Chaoyang district. Built 600 years ago, this area has nine houses, which were once grain and rice stores for the Forbidden City. Today, it houses some really good restaurants and a theater. The juxtaposition of the old and the new is really apparent here, with the new, expertly designed Poly Building right behind it. Our favorite place is Before and After Restaurant (Shop A13, 86-10-6405-9598), which serves great, innovative Taiwanese cuisine. The restaurant asked Taiwan celebrities to provide them with their favorite dishes and many turned out to be secret recipes passed on within their families for generations. If you have time, get a ticket to see the Kunqu classic Peony Pavilion at the theater—the classical décor and the glamorous Kunqu costumes give you a taste of how people used to enjoy the opera.
22 Dongsishitiao, www.bjnxc.com.cn, www.imperialgranary.com.cn (for the theater)
Nearest metro station: Dongsishitiao

798

Sure, the hype has come and gone and the area is no longer what it used to be, but no one should skip this art district when they visit Beijing. Out on the eastern outskirts of downtown, today this once cutting-edge art district is a bit like a carnival on weekends with locals and tourists gathering to check out the hottest new trends, which the area still serves up quite well. In fact, we went to the district to catch the retrospective of a Belgium maverick fashion designer Martin Margiela at the new exhibition venue owned by Hong Kong fashion house I.T. And attention, fashionistas—I.T. has decided to continue hosting exhibitions related to fashion for the time being. Comme des Garcons is next—stay tuned.
2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, 8457-2188, www.798art.org.
Nearest metro station: Dongzhimen

Staying there

There are new hotels springing up in Beijing all the time, but nothing beats an old favorite. The Peninsula Beijing is located at the very convenient Jinyu Hutong, which is just off the shopping street of Wangfujing and a two-minute walk from the Dengshikou metro station. The luxurious hotel has spacious rooms with enough modern amenities for any kind of travelers.

The hotel also has the famous spa, ESPA, for those who like to relieve their tiredness from traveling with a massage.

Don’t miss their signature restaurant Jing, a stylish, luxurious eatery serving excellent and reasonably priced international cuisines from an open kitchen.
The Peninsula Beijing, 8 Jingyu Hutong, (86)10-8516-2888, peninsula.com.