Asia

The design of this atmospheric restaurant is meant to summon the spirit of the northwestern frontier. The dramatic two-story interior has an impressive beamed ceiling and features large urns and old oil lanterns. The cooking emphasizes kebabs and tandoori dishes. Try the dal chicken, sautéed with onions, ginger, garlic and a rich masala sauce; or the Khyber raan, leg of marinated mutton braised with onions, ginger, garlic and garam masala.

This might not be the most adventurous spot in Beijing, but the food is terrific and the restaurant has one of the few open kitchens in the city. The menu presents the cuisine of northern China and Beijing. Look for dishes such as beggar’s chicken, wheat noodles in a black bean sauce, and of course, Peking duck. If you are in the mood for poultry but not Peking duck, consider the poached chicken that comes garnished with spicy peanuts. Also very good are the dumplings, which come stuffed with prawns, pork or mushrooms.

The name of this restaurant comes from robatayaki, an uncomplicated style of cooking generally associated with the countryside, in which everything is prepared on a grill. Transposed into the lively Tokyo neighborhood of Roppongi, it becomes a wonderfully entertaining experience, with delicious food served with great theatricalit y. As you enter, the entire staff will cr y a robust welcome. At the center of a U-shaped counter, chefs pull ingredients from an array of rustic baskets or, in the case of seafood, net them from a bubbling tank. There are often as many foreigners as Japanese, and it might seem a bit touristy, but the experience is memorable, nonetheless.