World > Asia > China

Huang Ting

<p>With an interior modeled after that of an historic Beijing courtyard home, this Cantonese restaurant offers one of the city's most elegant dining experiences. From the moment you step inside the stone entrance and into the dining room—where the walls and ceiling beams come from centuries-old <em>hutongs </em>and the myriad antiques date to the Qing dynasty—you'll feel transported back to an earlier, more genteel era. The cuisine is equally rarefied: dim sum, the specialty of southern China, is a favorite at lunchtime, and includes such exquisite bite-size treats as steamed shrimp dumplings, barbecued pork buns, steamed minced beef balls, and (for dessert) crunchy-edged egg-custard tarts. In the evening, the menu features entrées like wok-fried chicken with chiles and peanuts, crisp roasted baby pigeon, and steamed prawns with minced garlic. </p> <p><strong>Tip: </strong>Order a bottle of the Peninsula house wine from Grace Vineyards. Created by French and Australian vintners, it's one of the few really good locally made wines. </p>