Mare offers diners ‘New Spanish Cuisine’ and its low-key ambience and décor create a pleasant dining space. Go for the tapas (18RMB-85RMB), which runs the gamut of seafood, vegetables and meat. The lamb chop (46RMB) and ham platter (85RMB) are highly recommended. The wine list is as long as its tapas menu, available by the bottle or glass. Mare’s after meal food--assorted cheese platter, chocolate lava cake with scoops of hazelnut and vanilla ice cream, and almond mascarpone, are fantastic.

14 Xindong Lu, Chaoyang district (tel 6417 1459) Open 11:30am-midnight. Meal for two 350-500RMB.