A chain eatery opens

Antipasto. Wang Zhuangfei / China Daily

The ambiance at Blue Marlin's Beijing location is elegant, but in a more casual and family-friendly way, unlike a formal fine dining experience. Echoing the name "Blue Marlin", the interior is designed in the theme of a cruise ship.

The spacious ground floor can hold up to 80 people. Blue Marlin's house band performs almost every night, and occasionally big sporting events play on the restaurants' multiple big-screen TVs.

Like a guest cabin on a yacht, a private dining area on the ground floor mimics the decor of a "living room" with an elephant-gray leather sofa, tea table, TV stand and book shelves. The living room is connected to a warm wood dining table that seats six.

The second floor is more intimate and recreational. A Brunswick pool table stands in the center, surrounded by high chairs, small bar tables and sofas. A terrace on the third floor is said to open this summer.

We tried only some of the signature dishes, and found that the quality does not give way to its variety.

Our antipasto was cold cuts with cheese, a selection of roast beef and pork, ham, salami, marinated vegetables, large olives, served with freshly baked panini bread. The platter was fresh and fabulous, nothing to nitpick for us fastidious foodies. It was perfect for a family gathering, and would go well with a bottle of wine.