It’s safe to say that the in past few decades China‘s first-tier cities have transformed tremendously on different levels, and gastronomy and cool dining options certainly is one of them. This appreciation of good food and drink has spawned a slew of homegrown hospitality formats which cater to a young and in-the-know demographic, and the Yan She restaurant chain falls into that category. Concepted as a modern bistro serving popular spicy dishes from Hunan cuisine, the company is growing fast and has recently opened its fifth outpost in Beijing. The new Yan She restaurant is situated at Xidan Joy City, a large 15-storey mall in the Xidan neighbourhood and one of the city’s biggest. Occupying a 250 sqm. (2,691 sq.ft.) unit on the sixth floor, the venue features an interior design by local practice Golucci Interior Architects. Extrapolating from the homey and welcoming design of the other branches, the premises uphold the adopted ‘house and the tree’ theme in abstracted form and sees oblong tiles as flooring and wall panelling as a backdrop for a variety of seating arrangements where to sit back and relax over a bite and a drink. Furnishings comprise of large communal wooden tables, round tables, and tables for four, all paired with either leather-clad sofas, benches or chairs. The aforementioned ‘tree’ element is captured, albeit in abstracted form, by tilted ceiling panels. Large floor-to-window ceilings allow in floods of daylight on one side of the restaurant, but it’s additionally lit by ceiling light spots and pendant lamps. The menu at Yan She features a wide array of spicy hotpot-style dishes from the Hunan region, featuring both meat and fish, paired with alcoholic beverages, wines and soft drinks.