Tastes of Taiwan

Two chefs from the Grand Hyatt Taipei are flying in to prepare over 50 authentic Taiwanese dishes at the Grand Cafe, the Grand Hyatt Beijing from Nov 4-15. Smith Lu is sous chef with Grand Cafe, and Hsieh Cheng Chih works as sous chef for the Pearl Liang restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Taipei. They will display their expertise in the creation of dishes that preserve the original flavors of Taiwan. Some signature dishes are roasted mullet with turnip and young leeks, fresh spring rolls with cabbage, bean sprouts and coriander, as well as the famous steamed rice with minced pork sauce. They will also make some new dishes for Beijing gourmets, such as braised spicy frog, blanched baby abalone with five spices sauce, and local desserts and drinks.

Grand Cafe, 2/F Grand Hyatt Beijing, 1 Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-8518-1234 Ext 6024.

- Ye Jun

Winter sizzle

Nothing is more attractive and appetizing than sizzling hot dishes in cold weather. Three restaurants in the Crowne Plaza Beijing Sun Palace will present their special dishes on a slab-stone and iron plate, and in a casserole, all hot to beat the cold. The hotel's Chinese restaurants, Rainbow Yunnan Restaurant and Red Orange are offering a large selection of Cantonese, Yunnan-style foods and barbecue buffet dinner. A hot-stone barbecue buffet dinner costs 288 yuan ($48) plus 15 percent service charge per head with free flow of wines, beers, soft drinks and juices, from Monday-Friday.

5/F Yunnan Dasha, Qisheng Zhongjie, Eastern North Third Ring Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6452-1708.

- Ye Jun

Aquatic delicacies at Vasco's

The Hilton Beijing Wangfujing presents the popular delicacy, crabs, in its "Fizztastic" Sunday Brunch until Nov 10. The chef at Vasco's brings fresh, live, hairy crabs for you to choose, and prepares them on the spot. The traditional way is steaming. The restaurant offers unlimited crabs during the brunch. There are also other aquatic delicacies to select.

11:30 am-2:30 pm, 368 yuan ($61) plus 15 percent service charge per head. 5/F Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, 8 Wangfujing Dongjie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-5812-8888 Ext 8411.

- Ye Jun

Fusion food at Jing'An

The only restaurant at secluded urban resort Puli Hotel, Jing'An Restaurant, is offering a new seasonal dinner menu. For diners with an adventurous palate who are interested in some of the city's locally sourced ingredients, the five-course menu is sure to refresh your culinary memory with dishes including black cod served with shiitake, thanks to the creativity of executive chef, Michael Wilson, from Melbourne, Australia, perhaps the hometown of East-meets-West fusion food. The tasting menu is available daily from 6 pm to 10 pm, starting at 488 yuan ($81) plus 15 percent service charge.

Jing'An Restaurant, F2, Puli Hotel and Spa, 1 Changde Road, Shanghai, 021-3203-9999.

- Xu Junqian