Everyone who has spent any time at all in China will have eaten indifferent or just plain bad gongbaojiding (宫爆鸡丁), but if you want to taste it the way it's supposed to be, get down to Yu Xin.
A successful and growing chain with branches around the city, South Beauty has a huge menu so you're sure to find something to your taste, provided you can find a seat, of course.
The Gold Barn is anything but a farmyard, more like a grand mansion furnished in 1930s style. If you're looking for atmosphere, this spacious and comfortable eatery spread over three floors won't disappoint.
The former home of one of China's most famous opera stars, Mei Langfang, famous for his cross-dressing female roles, this traditional courtyard hidden away in a Houhai hutong serves fine food in private dining rooms.
Part of a chain with branches in Shanghai and Hong Kong, Lu Lu's huge 300 seater restaurant in the Beijing's Central Business District offers authentic Shanghai dishes prepared with ingredients flown in daily from Shanghai.
