Palatial offerings

Imperial Palace Restaurant opened its first outlet in Beijing 11 years ago. Since then, it has been widely recognized as one of the best high-end Cantonese restaurants in the capital, frequented by financial and business movers and shakers. It was a good place to impress clients, especially if they get to peek at the bill and see the astronomical figures. That's going to change, apparently, because the restaurant now wants to push the message that it offers better value for the buck.

Imperial Palace or Chao Huang Shi Fu, specializes in Chaozhou cuisine, with an emphasis on nutritious soups, quick stir-fries and tasty Cantonese dim sum. It was famous for its shark fin, abalone and bird's nest, but has since changed track to offer more politically correct quality lamb and beef, sea cucumber and fish maw. It is now promoting traditional Cantonese moon cakes for the coming Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 30. It's all very healthy, with reduced sugar and oil, and all-natural ingredients like red bean paste, pineapple, jujube and taro.

1 Lianhuachi Donglu, Northwest corner of Tianningsi overpass, West Second Ring Road, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6339-1111.

- Ye Jun