Café Sambal, Beijing, China

The initial impression of one of the best restaurants in Beijing is an old opium den from centuries ago in a secret courtyard tastefully decorated with a balanced combination of modern and antique furniture. Marked with a red lantern, Café Sambal is traditional Singaporean/Malaysian cuisine at its best.

The ambience of this Beijing restaurant provides the perfect backdrop for its mouthwatering dishes like chili crab curry, kang kong belacan and the chef's specialty dish: kapitan chicken. The killer dish that pushed Café Sambal into the Best Restaurants in Beijing list is their superb double-braised Australian lobster in nyonya sauce and requires a day-ahead reservation. Do save space for their kuih dadar comprising shredded coconut fried with palm sugar in a rice flour wrap naturally dyed green with padang leaf extract.

Sambal is a Malay mélange of chilies, herbs, spices sautéed to a delicateness that is versatile enough to be used with many types of dishes. All Singaporean/Malaysian women have a secret combination to their sambal that they closely guard. The combination of a relevant wine list, impeccable service, exquisite dishes, and charming ambience is a winner as one of the Best Restaurants in Beijing.