Located along an avenue known more for groups of tourists wandering between the National Art Museum and the Forbidden City than its dining options, Beijing Pie is serving up plates of comfort food superstars like gongbao chicken and beef stir-fry platters.

The sign above the door doesn't say "Beijing stir-fry", however, so as we find a seat in the clean, brightly lit dining room, all eyes are on the pies, or, more precisely–pancakes. The Chinese language doesn't make much of a distinction between the two; the restaurant's English translation is "pie", but what Beijing Pie actually serves up, bing (饼), looks more like a pancake.

At Beijing Pie, the "pies" come stuffed with beef, pork or duck. We opt for the more traditional beef and pork and a selection of the home-style side dishes. The sides arrive first, which is reassuring in a town where the speed at which some kitchens pump out "freshly made" dishes is dubious at best.

Our sides, fresh tofu with scallion, century egg with ginger and "loofah tips with dried chilli" (a salad of squash greens with mild spice), are all plated with a care and an attention to detail we wouldn't normally expect of an establishment this casual and this cheap. The vinyl tabletops belie the presence in the kitchen of someone who takes real pride in their work.

Beijing Pie serves up classic northern dishes that both wandering tourists and Beijingers will enjoy. It's a boon to an area lacking in culinary pedigree, and a style of place we hope becomes more common in the area.

Address: 159-2 Beiheyan Dajie, Dongcheng District

Average Cost: RMB 50

Source: timeoutbeijing.com