2Guangzhou

Though it's marketed as a primarily Vietnamese restaurant, Vietnamese Cuisine Inn, though it has a number of Vietnamese main and side dishes, has even more dishes from Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand and Indonesia. Furthermore, the style of the restaurant is little different than what one finds at any cafe-type restaurant in China and the quality and taste of the dishes tried were not spectacular, in spite of sometimes quite colorful names like stewed beef in goose liver sauce, fried chili and garlic crab, Vietnamese curry crab and sugar cane shrimp among them. Most items are priced between 15 and 40 RMB, and their fruit and coconut juice drinks are very good.

South American Barbecue, also called churrasco or asado, has reached worldwide popularity in recent years. This traditional barbecue comes from about five centuries of cattle raising in Brazil, and at least two centuries as the regular cooking style of South American cowboys from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Originally cooked in earthen pits by men with hats, modern restaurants use varying methods for barbecuing their beef, pork, sausage and chicken, and take the meat-laden skewer from table to table to carve off a fresh piece. They have kept the hats too.

Latin Grill, with its two centrally located restaurants, is seen by many as the place to go for good Brazilian barbecue and for Latin food in general. Its large eating spaces fill up quickly, especially at dinner time, and the buffet style attracts many comers for its more than seventy choices. Having eaten here on two occasions, I can confirm with confidence that the churrasco is truly fantastic. Thinking through all the restaurants I've tried in the city, I can't think of one where the meat was equally good. Not one. The buffet quality varies, as buffets tend to do. After wandering through several rooms full of hot and cold dishes, salads and deserts, you could flip a coin as to whether it will hit the spot. Their buffet dishes include notables from Latin, Chinese and other international cuisines.

Getting there: Line 1 or 3, Tiyu Xilu Station, Exit D. Walk up to Tianhe Lu, turn right and at the end of the next block is Grandview Mall on your right.

This modest diner and cafe on Dongfeng Xilu, is one the best. That's not because the food is more spectacular than any of the others scattered among the nearby streets, but because of its quite wonderful setting and truly relaxed atmosphere. You can lay back on the couches here, amidst brick-lined arches and stucco walls, while folks in the next room smoke on their shisha.
Al-Khalil's plates are mostly standard fare for Arab food, with low to mid-range prices that never top 55 RMB. Their fried falafel is particularly tasty, and both the lamb with potatoes and the chicken shish, are worth trying. While you're there, you can choose from an array of teas, including Yansoon, Karekadeh, and Mhalabeyeh. Far better, though, to blend in with a strong shot of Turkish coffee.

The staff told me that Basha, Khalil's Syrian owner, also owns this restaurant, which serves Arabic, Thai, and Chinese cuisine. However, they disavowed Basha's ownership the very next day over the phone.