Exquisite Eats Espanol

Agua

With a cabinet full of awards and a dining room as regularly packed with patrons as the day it opened, fine diner Agua is a Beijing foodie favourite. From native chef Jordi Valles comes the impeccably crafted menu of Spanish fare, which combined with the chic brasserie-style setting, open kitchen, and Moroccan touches like authentic brass lanterns, makes for a must-try Mediterranean experience.

While lunchtime offers a full-flavoured set menu, evening diners are treated to specialties like traditional Spanish torrija with Catalan cream and almonds enriched with 7-year-old Havana Club. Alternatively, rustle up a larger group with appetites at the ready, and opt for the signature 3.5kg crispy suckling pig, or the Mariscada selection with seafood delights like gambas, lobster and razor clams. There’s also a long list of a la carte tapas to start or side including Wagyu tenderloin tacos, scallop carpaccio and caviar blinis, the perfect complement to the Sangria, homemade rum (with vanilla, mango and raisin), and house cocktails like the Anxiety with vodka, pomelo, lime, pink grapefruit and brown sugar. Oenophiles will delight in the bottle selection too, with Agua offering 70 of the finest wines in Beijing (including 30 exclusive labels, like the Trascampanas vintage white from Rueda, Spain). Now that’s a special sip!