Yuan Yuan Xiang

Beijing has a relatively young dining scene, but there are plenty of simple establishments that serve honest food. One I love is Yuan Yuan Xiang, run by a family from Chengdu, in Sichuan province. Many people don't know that Sichuan food has flavors beyond fire and chiles, but at Yuan Yuan Xiang there are also milder dishes to balance the meal, like rich, comforting pig's ear terrine with baby celery and preserved eggs. —Max Levy, Bei, Beijing