A mix of cultures for the price of one

A Chinese chef who has lived in the Netherlands for nearly 20 years brings his culinary expertise back to China.

There has been a lot of talk recently about the prospects of well-known Chinese restaurants trying their luck overseas and of the challenges they face, but the traffic is not all one way.

Tucked away in a side street near the Liangma River in Beijing, Cindy's Umami by Han is said to be the first modern Dutch restaurant in the capital serving Western-Asian fusion cuisine, and the Chinese chef and owner is Ji Han, who brings his expertise home having spent nearly 20 years in the Netherlands.

Dining at Cindy's Umami by Han comes with a sense of style. A meal usually consists of a number of small gorgeously presented dishes, all refreshing and highlighting a particular flavor, some of it with a slightly sour twist.

With that style comes the quality of what Ji calls a "five-round menu", priced at a more than reasonable 298 yuan ($45), and which apparently is proving highly popular. The restaurant's use of the term five-round reflects its innovation in offering two small courses together in one sitting.