The reason to come here is the setting. It’s right on the moat across from the East Gate of the Forbidden City. I had asked the hotel concierge to make reservations for me, but I could have done it myself. He actually passed the phone to me when someone spoke to him in English.

There is a small bar that overlooks the East Gate, which unfortunately is not visible from the dining room. Some of us were dressed in jacket and tie, but others were not. We took a walk along the moat after dinner that was truly magical. Here we were in the heart of Beijing and it was completely deserted. We were worried that we’d be stranded, but a taxi did come by later.