Da Tong Qian (Big Copper Coin) has brick walls, tables, benches and wooden picture frames made of crude trunks reminiscent of Chinese farmhouses. The food is Sichuan style, spicy with red chili, and served in big helpings. Prices are reasonable, with most dishes costing between 20-30 yuan. For starters, try raw chestnut kernels with fragrant toon tree sprouts, black fungus, or sweet osmanthus-scented lotus root slices with glutinous rice.

There is so much chili in spicy dry-fried chicken that you'll need to scoop through the peppers to find the meat. Try the tongue-numbing catfish, fish slices in spicy soup, and red chilli with whole braised chicken. The dry pot baby cabbage is a bit less fiery.

Hidden inside the Caochangdi Art Village, the restaurant is a little difficult to find. You can expect to spend 30 yuan per person. There are no English menus so take a Chinese friend.

Location: 327 Caochangdi Art Village, Supplement Road to the Beijing Capital Airport, Chaoyang District
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Tel: 010-6431-2306.

(Beijing Weekend January 15, 2008)