A restaurant in Beijing is preparing for the Chinese New Year. Photo: CFP

By Zhang Hui

In the West, Christmas notoriously comes earlier every year, and in China Spring Festival is much the same way. Already, preparations are underway for family dinners that won't take place until mid- February. Nianyefan (the dinner held on Chinese New Year's Eve) is the pinnacle of the festival and the most important meal of the year, a time when everyone gathers for family reunions. Hence, Nianyefan is also called Tuanyuanfan (the family-reunion dinner).

Nowadays, many families are fed up with the tiring preparations and have the financial ability to choose to dine outside. Nianyefan dinner has been popular in most Chinese restaurants for more than 10 years, and its popularity continues to increase, to the degree that a banquet room in some restaurants must be booked a year in advance.

"I booked a six-person chuxi (Chinese New Year's Eve) dinner in a Guolin Restaurant last week. They told me most tables in the dining hall have been booked out, not to mention the tables in separate rooms, which were usually booked when people fin-ished their nianyefan last year," Zhang Zhongjie, a 65-year-old local resident in Xiluoyuan, Fengtai District, told Lifestyle.

Most Chinese laobaixing families prefer to visit mid-level chain restaurants, such as Guolin and Dayali, which are often crowded even outside the festival season. They serve authentic, classic dishes like fish filet in hot chili oil and fried sweet and sour pork with pineapple. The restaurants' reasonable prices and hygienic facilities have won them a good reputation among ordinary Beijingers. For 300 to 400 yuan, a six-member family can have a satisfactory nianyefan, and already most of these places are 80 percent booked. "Reservations for nianyefan began increasing in October, and usually before January all the tables will be booked out," said Jing Huan, a waitress at Guolin in Xiluoyuan.

This is not to say that high-end famous-brand restaurants aren't as popular, if not more so. All the tables and rooms for nianyefan in Jinyang Restaurant have been booked since before December, and many others, like Tongheju, Fengzeyuan and Bianyifang have booked 90 percent of their tables.

People who intend to book at high-end restaurants should note that they usually set a minimum consumption level. "I intended to book a secluded compartment table in Fengzeyuan to celebrate the first nianyefan since my daughter-in-law entered my family, but they ask for at least 300 yuan per person, which means the nianyefan will cost me 2,400 yuan (for a family of eight)," Jin Lipin, a local Beijinger said. For nianyefan, Fengzeyuan set minimum consumption levels of 200 yuan per person in the main dining hall, 300 yuan per person for a private room, all excluding drinks.

For all the early booking, most menus have yet to be determined. "We'll introduce a new menu in January, so at the moment we can't accurately tell you what dishes will be available for the nianyefan," waitress Jing said. Regardless, people are willing to trust these restaurants based on their reputations.

Those who want to book nianyefan must keep in mind that the majority of places ask for a deposit ranging from 100 to 500 yuan. Those who plan to drive should even plan their parking beforehand, as most lots near restaurants will be full. No getting away from it: it really is necessary to plan the perfect nianyefan a few months in advance.

Our picks for nianyefan in Beijing

Tongheju Restaurant 同å'Œå±…饭庄

This 150-year-old restaurant serves Lu (Shandong) cuisine. Their most famous dish is sanbuzhan (the dish that doesnï‚'t stick to teeth, plates or spoons), for 66 yuan per plate. Sanbuzhan is mainly made of egg yolk and mung bean powder, mixed with water and sugar, and stir-fried with a secret method. Other distinctive dishes include steamed salmon (about 100 yuan, depending on the weight of the fish), sautéed sea cucumber with scallion (168 yuan for common sea cucumber, 488 yuan for first-grade sea cucumber). For nianyefan booking, a 100-yuan deposit is required.

Address: South Yutan Street B-71, Xicheng District 西城区月坛南街乙71号

Tel: 6852-2917

Fengzeyuan Restaurant 丰泽园饭庄

Fengzeyuan, established in 1930, also features Lu cuisine. Specialties include ï‚"three whitesï‚" fried in wine, the three being slices of chicken, fish and bamboo shoots (68 yuan), quick-fried tripe with coriander (48 yuan), cabbage cooked with chestnuts (40 yuan) and crispy chicken (78 yuan). For nianyefan booking, a 500-yuan deposit is necessary.

Address: 83 West Zhushikou Avenue, Xuanwu District 宣武区珠市口西大街83号

Tel: 6303-2828

Beijing Bianyifang Restaurant 便宜坊

Bianyifang is a reputable Beijing brand of restaurants with a 600-year history. Itï‚'s renowned for its menlu roast duck. No flames are visible when using the menlu roasting technique, which has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage of Beijing. For 188 yuan, diners can enjoy roast duck made using this patented technique. Vegetable juice and tea-flavored ducks are both available. Other specialties include the ethically challenged shark fin in thick gravy (98 yuan), duck liver in salted spicy sauce (28 yuan), duck heart soaked in wine (38 yuan) and braised mutton chops (58 yuan). For booking nianyefan, a 200-yuan deposit is required.

Addresses: Chongwenmenwai Avenue A-2, Chongwen District

崇文区崇外大街ç"²äºŒå·

Tel: 6712-5007

Guolin Restaurants 郭林家常菜

Guolin features classic Chinese dishes, including sweet and sour ï‚"squirreledï‚" mandarin fish, perch cooked with fresh red prickly ash and roast duck. Most dishes are priced at 20-50 yuan. A 100-yuan deposit is required for nianyefan booking.

Addresses:

Debaoxinyuan E15, Xiwai Avenue, Xicheng District 西城区西外德宝新园E15号

Tel: 6834-5043

No. 68 South Xiluoyuan Street, Fengtai District 丰台区西罗园南里68号

Tel: 6721-6404

Daojiayuan A-6, East Tianshuiyuan Street, Chaoyang District 朝阳区ç"œæ°´å›­ä¸œè¡—é"家园ç"²6号

Tel: 6507-4665