Tong He Ju 同和局

Established in 1822 in Xisi, this is one of the few time-honored restaurants in Beijing that sticks to its traditional style of cooking. Only a few non-Shandong dishes are offered on the menu, and consequently, the authenticity of the cuisine here is heads and shoulders ahead of the competition. The comprehensive menu includes acclaimed dishes such as imperial concubine chicken (Guifei ji), a dish that must be ordered in advance; stewed abalone (pa baoyu); braised sea cucumber (congbao haishen); and Yellow River carp in sweet and sour sauce (huanghe liyu). A long list of homestyle dishes includes crispy deep-fried meatballs (ganzha wanzi), braised eggplant (suchao qiezi), mushu pork, and chicken cubes in sweet bean paste (jiangbao jiding). The hot and sour soup is perfect, following a classic recipe that emphasizes the rich, bold flavors of vinegar and black pepper. The food tends to be salty, but you can request that the kitchen go light on the salt.

The signage at the entrance to the restaurant features the calligraphy of Pu Jie, the younger brother of Pu Yi (the famed last emperor of China). Dining at Tong He Ju brings you back to China in the 1950s; the venue is dominated by maroon-red colors, velvety curtains draping the windows, and bright chandeliers overhead.