Beijing

Seafood, Venice style

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Chef Diego Bugno is celebrating his native Venice with an ongoing food-festival menu reflecting two of the coastal city's most famous offerings. For a main course, don't miss the signature turbot, a fish Bugno calls the "Kobe beef of seafood". Arlecchino pizza (258 yuan), inspired by the colorful characters of an Italian comedy, boasts a pile of seafood that requires some deconstruction to eat, including in-shell clams and crab claws. The crust's crispy bottom nicely supports the load, and is tasty too. The festival ends on April 30, but the dishes will stay on the menu at dinner until the end of June.

Prego at the Westin Financial Center Beijing, 9B Financial Street, Xicheng district. 010-6606-8866.

Exploring 5 senses

Acclaimed chef Alan Hei has created five signature dishes for Mercedes Me with a theme of "The Five Senses" for the Sanlitun eatery's first anniversary. His creations draw upon southern Chinese flavors whilst employing modern techniques. Hei will be at the restaurant on Friday presenting the dishes personally, but they will stay on the menu through May. Celebrity cocktail guru Thibault Mequignon from Danico in Paris is also at Mercedes Me for the anniversary party, taking the "Five Senses" theme to his cocktail shaker. He's there on Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday; his creations will also stay on the menu at the restaurant's Lighthaus bar until the end of May.