Below are some of the most common items you'll find for sale at the stalls.
Baozi: Steamed buns typically filled with mixtures of pork and vegetable, but occasionally available with just vegetables (around „3/40¢ for a basket of five).

Jianbing: Large crepe with egg, folded around fried dough with cilantro and with plum and hot sauces („2/30¢).

Jiaozi: Pork and vegetable filling with doughy wrapper, commonly boiled („2-„4/30¢-50¢ for 12).

Miantiao: Noodles, commonly stir-fried with vegetables or boiled in beef broth with cilantro („1-„3/10¢-20¢).

Xianbing: Stuffed pancakes, usually filled with meat or vegetables, fried golden brown (around „2/30¢).

Yang rou chuan: Lamb skewers with cumin and chili powder, either fried or roasted; also available in a chicken (jirou) version („1/10¢).

Dinner on the Lakes, by Candlelight

For roughly „400 ($50) plus the cost of food, Beijing's ancient roast-meat restaurant Kaorouji now arranges what may be the most charming dining experience in the city: a meal for up to eight people served aboard a narrow canopied flat-bottom boat, staffed by a lone oarsman who guides the craft in a gentle arc around the man-made serenity of Qian Hai and Hou Hai. The entire trip takes roughly 2 hours. A little extra money buys live traditional music and the opportunity to float candles in the lakes after dark falls -- a cliche in the making, but who cares? The restaurant is located next to Nuage at Qian Hai Dong Yan 14 (meal for 2 „120-„160/$15-$20; daily 11am-2pm and 5-9pm). To make boat arrangements, call tel. 010/6612-5719 or 010/6404-2554. Note: Boat-rental prices vary from season to season and will probably increase as time goes on.

American

Astor Grill
Cuisine
American
Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-2pm and 6-10pm; weekends 6-10pm
Address
Jianguo Men Wai Dajie 21
Location
On 2nd floor of St. Regis Hotel club building, Chaoyang East
Transportation
Metro: Jianguo Men (120/211); walk east 2 blocks and take left on Ritan Dong Lu
Phone
010/6460-6688, ext. 2714 or 2709
Prices
Main courses „135-„300 ($17-$38)
Credit Cards
AE, DC, MC, V

You can get anything in Beijing if you're willing to pay enough. Buried in a quiet corner of the St. Regis Hotel, the Astor Grill charges outrageous prices for its steaks, but they are among the best in the city and are served in one of its most romantic settings. The small space is more midtown Manhattan than eastern Beijing, unpretentiously elegant with only a handful of tables.

Premium cuts of Australian and U.S. beef come with a choice of sauces, including a divine black peppercorn jus, and a full range of traditional sides. Appetizers and salads are lackluster for the price and servers tend to hover, making a small space feel even smaller, but the experience is ultimately pleasant. A cigar lounge, stocked with some fine single-malt Scotches, sits across the hall.

Spotlights from the deck can be a distraction -- choose a table away from the windows.