A First Look Inside the New Duck de Chine

The Beijinger got a sneak peek into soon to be completed 1949 Jinbao Place yesterday, a giant wining and dining complex housing a new, inflated version of Beijing’s much loved kaoya / Cantonese restaurant, Duck de Chine ... and more besides.

A huge, Qing-inspired structure with imposing grey citadel walls and painted beams, it wouldn't look out of place on the set of some Chinese period drama TV show. Certainly a world-away from the loft-like charms of 1949 The Hidden City in Sanlitun.

Location wise it's just south east of The Legendale Hotel as this pic taken from the Duck de Chine outer courtyard shows. Duck de Chine itself is positively enormous. Two wings of seating surround a central courtyard, with three brick duck ovens under a giant pavilion in the middle. The restaurant can easily sit 200 at a time, with another 50 or so in the Bollinger Bar at the back. Turned into an event space using the outside courtyard as well, it can cater for up to 1000. The new Executive Chef Tam earned his stripes at Lei Garden in HK and Beijing.

Just as impressive, scale-wise is Club 49 next door. Aimed at the city's Chinese movers and shakers (company CEOs, politicians, celebs etc), it's unashamedly bling. Members only (with a whacking great joining fee), 13 private rooms holding up to 14 diners are each named after a French grand cru wine. Classy. There's even an underground car park that holds 150 cars so they have somewhere to park their Audis.

The landlord - a real estate developer and one of China's richest women, Chan Laiwa - has the whole of Jinbao Jie in her grasp, from the hotels to the Ferrari showrooms to 1949 Jinbao Jie.

One thing she doesn't have, yet at least - this final old hutong building beside 1949 Jinbao Jie, where the resident has so far refused to budge.