Houhai Area

Dining and drinking at Houhai

By Annie Wei

Houhai, located dead in the middle of old Beijing, is also known as Shishahai, an area including Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai and with a history of more than 700 years.

According to historical records, Houhai was designed in the thirteenth century. Since Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), Houhai has been the city’s largest commercial area. It was also the terminus of the local water route, so the surrounding area booms with hotels, restaurants, stores and business workshops.

Many interesting restaurants and shops have shot up around the lake during the last six years. The lake, however, achieved global fame after becoming a safehaven during the SARS outbreak. Since then, Houhai has been a landmark of Beijing nightlife and a tourist destination to rival Wangfujing.

Houhai is a comprehensive entertainment area. Along its chic, sexy and prosperous shores, you can also find traditional food like chou doufu, stinky doufu, a popular local snack disliked by many foreigners.

Every restaurant in Houhai has its own style of entertainment, decoration, food and drink. Take Qiulu Shanwu for example, it’s a delicate Hunan restaurant. You can have great night view on the second floor, and enjoy a star-dotted sky on the third floor.

Buffalo’s menu is very interesting. Its menu is like a CD cover with extremely romantic names like “Love can be food” and “Fish from the love sea.”

South Silk Road is one of the Yunan and Guizhou food restaurants favored by local diners seeking a nice environment. Its sofa seating and large glass windows let customers have a good view of Shishahai while dining.

Nuage, the famous Vietnamese restaurant, has very striking decorations. Some people have compared it to the The Lover (1992), a Hong Kong-France collaboration written by Marguerite Duras. Business is booming, and Nuage is expanding into a new building.