Overview
Market City's Asian food hall, 1909 Dining Precinct, has gained some great international eateries since opening in March — including global hot-pot chain The Dolar Shop, famed Chongqing noodle bar Mr Meng and DIY Korean barbecue joint Kogi.
These are now joined by a 160-seat Northern Chinese eatery, Beijing Impression. It's the second Sydney outpost for the brand, with the first located in Ashfield and much loved by locals. Founded in Beijing in 2014 by Tong Han, the restaurant chain has since expanded to 21 locations across China, Japan and Sydney.
True to its Beijing roots, the Peking duck is the go-to dish here. It takes two days to prep and is served three ways: whole roasted with crispy skin, in a duck and vegetable soup with glass noodles or as duck pancakes with sweet bean sauce, sliced spring onion and cucumber.
Other traditional dishes include the vinegary braised boneless pork feet and honeycomb briquette — fried black rice soaked in fruit and brandy, which is lit on fire at the table. The new restaurant will have CBD-exclusive menu items, too, including fish head juice pancakes and Catch the Five Heads, a sweetened pudding shaped like mahjong tiles.
The fit-out falls in line with the brand's existing venues and takes its inspiration from Beijing in autumn. Think warm timber accents, deep tones and foliage aplenty — including real pomegranate and maple trees at the entrance. For larger gatherings, there are also six rooms that accommodate up to 12 people each.
Beijing Impression offers a legit taste of the Chinese capital and is a welcomed addition to this budding precinct.
Images: Anna Kucera