The newly revamped Kranzler’s has a completely different look from the last one. Black and white set a modern tone, with a trendy open-style kitchen behind the counter allowing customers a glimpse of how their food is prepared.

In a city with a lack of decent brunch venues, Kranzler’s Sunday brunch at 235RMB (or 285RMB including wine, champagne or home-brewed Paulaner beer), is not modestly priced, but as the Chinese saying goes, yifen qian yifen huo, shifen qian, maibucuo-you get what you pay for.

The brunch consists of an array of international cuisine -- Chinese, American, Japanese and German, including dim sum, sushi, roast beef, sausages and a huge spread of quality cheeses, cold cuts, caviar, biscuits, and bread. There are also delicious pastries and tarts from its reputable Kempi Deli.

While there is a heated debate over who serves the best Beijing bird in the capital, the crown may now have to be passed on to Kranzler’s. The duck is beautifully roasted in a traditional wood-fired oven, resulting in moist and tender meat, and crispy skin that’s second to none. The flavorful duck meat, dipped in a touch of delicious plum sauce, which is neither too sweet nor too salty, is excellent in an almost paper-thin pancake.

Equally impressive is their seafood selection, inclulding deep-fried battered salmon in seaweed. The broiled lobsters and steamed crabs are amazingly fresh and tasty. And the roast beef is impeccably cooked to a rare texture without a trace of oozing red juice.

Kranzler’s, Kempinski Hotel, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang district (tel 6465 3388 ext. 4105) Open 6am-10pm. Brunch Sunday only from 11am-3pm, 235RMB per person + 15% service charge.

客来思乐，凯宾斯基饭店朝阳区亮马桥路50号