New Street Seeks To Revolutionize the CBD's Dining Scene

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Jingxiang Jie 景祥街, situated in the heart of the CBD area, has undergone a recent upgrade. This transformation is set to turn it into a culinary destination that rivals Michelin-starred or Black Pearl restaurants, all while retaining the essence of local heritage. The street is located in the thriving east Third Ring Road international trade area, near Guomao subway station in Chaoyang District, with skyscrapers towering over the CBD area.

The CBD is home to the food street

Jingxiang Jie is undergoing renovations covering an area of 14,000 square meters. The project stretches from the west end of the AVIC building to the east end of the Ruisai Business building, and will transform the street into a attractive dining space for residents, workers, and visitors.

Although a few restaurants (most notably the reputable Legend Bar, Sichuanese restaurant Sanyangcai, and a branch of Italian restaurant chain Annie's) call the area home, the property developer behind Legend is hoping Jingxiang Jie will soon be brimming with more exquisite dining options.

Originally situated near the Worker's Stadium, Legend relocated to the Jianwai area after the stadium's renovation began in 2020. The restaurant began its own renovations the same year, and was open again for business in February of 2021.

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Legend's decision to turn Jingxiang Jie into a culinary destination of Michelin-starred quality arose when AVIC, the property management company behind the street, approached them about partnering up. AVIC recognized the commercial potential that the CBD area holds for consumers and believed that the street's transformation would be a great opportunity to capitalize on it.

According to Li Mo, spokesperson for Legend, people may initially assume that a street with Michelin-standard restaurants is too posh for the average customer. However, she emphasized that while these restaurants are indeed built to meet Michelin standards, the prices are affordable and won't scare off potential customers. "Whether or not these restaurants receive Michelin stars is not a primary concern," Li explains. "The main point is that the street will provide the ambiance and food quality associated with Michelin while offering a range of prices to accommodate different budgets and preferences."

As an example, Li points to 湘临天下 Xiāng Lín Tiānxià, a Hunan restaurant currently undergoing renovations on the street.  "While there are many well-known Hunan restaurants in Beijing, such as 湘上湘 Xiāng Shàng Xiāng, which can cost an average eater around RMB 300-400 per meal, the new restaurant on this street will only charge about RMB 150 per customer."

The Hunan restaurant is presently undergoing renovations

One of the unique aspects of this street is its focus on preserving local Chinese heritage, as exemplified by the Hunanese restaurant's staff. All of the employees are from Hunan, ensuring the most authentic Hunan cuisine possible. "I know many people may only be familiar with popular Hunan dishes like chopped pepper fish head, stinky tofu, and stir-fried yellow beef," Li says. "However, this restaurant aims to showcase the lesser-known specialties of Hunan."

In addition, rather than offering a broad range of options, each restaurant on this street specializes in a specific type of cuisine. For instance, the northeastern Chinese restaurant will serve Liao cuisine and delectable seafood dishes like fried snails and clams. While the barbeque restaurant, on the other hand, will cater to those who love Yanbian-style barbeque.

Li explains that their goal is to provide an authentic and unforgettable dining experience for every customer by offering specialized dishes that showcase the diversity of Chinese cuisine.

Althought the majority of customers frequenting this street are staff from nearby office buildings at present, the property developer has bigger plans in mind.

Brace yourself for exciting developments on Jingxiang Jie next year!

Even though it will be a full year before the food street is complete, Jingxiang Jie's creators have high hopes for the project. Li tells me they aim to draw in not only local residents, but also visitors from far and wide. In the same way that people flock to malls owned by prestigious brands like SKP, they hope that food lovers will be drawn to the concept of Michelin-quality restaurants. She concludes with this: "We aspire to make this street a destination that is renowned for its exceptional cuisine and unforgettable dining experiences."

Legend Restaurant 老牌LEGEND餐厅
1/F, AVIC Building, 128 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路128号中航工业大厦副楼1层

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Images: Irene Li

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