Located near the Silk market and Sanlitun, two of the most touristic areas in Beijing, the restaurant "Makye Ame" offers a typical Tibetan cuisine and ambiance. Impressions.

Bunches or dried flowers are set alongside copper bowls and fruit baskets, and animal hides are hung on the wall.   Along with all the intricate finery, a stage has been installed.  It is here that the performers hold their twice daily performances of Tibetan singing (one at 8pm, and the other at 9pm).  Smiling eyes, and warm smiles, the beauty of their features and their enchanting singing voices transport you into the mountains of faraway Tibet.  Guests will be presented with a white scarf (hada), a traditional sign of friendship.

Generosity and Conviviality

The cooking is just like the atmosphere – generous and friendly.  The fully illustrated menu is in both Chinese and English.   Tea, served continuously by a affable waiter, is accompanied with hot towelettes.  The house barely wine (5°) is 15RMB per glass, or 78RMB for a pitcher, and is served in copper tumblers.  Sharp at first, the wine suits the dishes well.

The natural roasted Tibetan mushrooms (48RMB) are definitely the star among the vegetarian dishes on the menu. The fragrant domes are arranged on their sides in a dish and sprinkled with flour, and hot peppers and onions from the plateaus of Sichuan. Cooked to perfection, they even make you feel healthy by eating them.  The same goes for the carrot and ginger Tibetan soup (25RMB).  Its orange colour is stimulating, and the flavour invigourating.