One thing you'll discover about Beijing is that you can find just about every variation of Chinese food here. But international cuisines have also made their way onto the capital's menus, and into many people's appetites. For some Chinese, the mere mention of certain foreign restaurants stirs a sense of nostalgia for the days of their childhood.

The restaurant simply known as "the Moscow Restaurant" was the  first foreign restaurant to open in Beijing in the 1950s. Its distinctive architecture and cuisine quickly earned the restuarant a good reputation. Residents soonaffectionately began calling it "Laomo", roughly translated as "Old Moscow."

In 2000, the Moscow Restaurant was renovated and redecorated. Despite the renovation, however, it still preserved its magnificent Russian style and resembled a small palace.The structure still stands with its multi-story high ceilings and ornate fixtures.

The restaurant can seat up to six hundred people at a time. But the biggest moment of  charm for many patrons of this Russian restaurant is the culture that is reflected here.The exotic food and the elegant atmosphere keeps many in the city lining up for a different dining experience each time. This Moscow Restaurant has developed a lot over the last 50 years. But people can still taste the same traditional foods of the yesteryears.

Dining at Kiev

Another restaurant alternative, serving up a Russian flavor, or more accurately a Ukraninian one, is the Kiev restaurant. Though much smaller and younger than the Moscow Restaurant, the Kiev has its own style.  With Ukrainian Vodka and oil paintings, it also showcases the Ukrainian love of singing and dancing. Many of the members of the restaurant's singing group are well-known and respected back home in their home countries.

In 1983, Pierre Cardin opened Maxim's Beijing.The original Maxim's opened in Paris at Number 3 Imperial Avenue at the end of the 19th century. Over the last 100 years, it has attracted many high officials and celebrities, and has become a gathering place for political and business moguls.

The Beijing restaurant retains the same style of the original Parisian version of Maxim's in both its architecture and interior design. The wood carvings, the chandeliers, and frescos fill the restaurant with a romantic, mysterious atmosphere. With the authentic French food and the classical music, you can escape the noise of the city and enjoy the pleasures of France.