Beijing — My last house guest had 13 restaurants on his to-try list, including three renowned for succulent versions of crisp-skinned Peking duck, one popular for its tongue-tingling Sichuan cuisine and a Uighur joint, known as much for the ethnic minority's cumin-spiced lamb skewers as its exuberant floor show.

Gone are the days when the traditional Chinese greeting "Have you eaten yet?" seemed like a bad joke in the dour capital where, as recently as the 1980s, staples were rationed, state-run canteens dished out the slop of the day in chipped enamel bowls and restaurants were few and far between.

Ng Han Guan / AP (ENLARGE)

In Beijing, you can order prawns at 1949, a Mediterranean-influenced eatery in the Hidden City.

Robert F. Bukaty / AP (ENLARGE)

Skewers of fried scorpions from the Wangfujing Street shopping area are among the cultural dishes gutsy tourists can sink their teeth into.

Robert F. Bukaty / AP (ENLARGE)

Starfish anyone? When in Beijing, visitors can eat what the Chinese eat, or they can opt for more traditional fare like fish and chips or sauteed chicken.

International travel stories Become a Temporary European  Shanghai pushes for luxury crowd despite tough times  Discounts abound as tourism to Thailand drops  Techie tips for travelers  Want an all-American Independence Day? Try London  Photos: Travel / International Galleries Latest deals! Back to: Travel | U.S. and international destinations

Today's Beijing is packed with eateries at every corner, open at all hours and offering regional cuisines of all kinds — a reflection of China's stunning economic success after almost three decades of convulsive growth.

The run-up to the Aug. 8 Beijing Olympics has underscored the quantum leap in the quality and variety of fare, with menus and manners being polished in anticipation of the crowd of 500,000 visitors during the Games.

From al dente hand-pulled noodles splashed with bracing black vinegar from Shanxi Province in the north, to fingernail-size chicken pieces buried in a mountain of dried chilies from Sichuan in the southwest, to the rich, sweet braises of the east, there is something to pique every palate.

That's just from within the country.

Sushi and sashimi? Ocean fresh. Persian grilled meats and stews? In the heart of the city. Fish and chips? Beer-batter or bread crumbs, take your pick. Greek, Vietnamese, Italian, German, French, Ethiopian, Spanish, Singaporean, even kosher ... the list goes on.

"Simply put, we've gone from eating just to fill our stomachs to the stage where we are open to the complete pleasures of the dining experience," says Chitty Chung, editor in chief of Beijing's Food & Wine magazine.

That includes not only an awareness of a restaurant's environment, the chef's concepts, quality of service, the pairing of food and wine and nutritional balance, but also a willingness try new things, says Chung.

The city has more than 40,000 restaurants (90 percent are privately run) — a far cry from the few thousand state-owned eateries during the 1980s, says He Zhifu, secretary-general of the Beijing Association for Food and Beverage Industries.

Some of the tastiest and most authentic regional treats can be found in restaurants affiliated to the provincial government offices that have set up in the capital.

"Now we can eat whatever we like without seasonal and geographical limitations," says Xu Yimin, editor in chief of Chinese and Foreign Food magazine.

Where to eat

(Note: Local phone numbers are in parentheses.)

• 1949, the Hidden City, Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District, (65011949), www.elite-concepts.com/promotions/1949/thehiddencity.htm.

• Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant, 1-2/F, Nanxincang International Plaza, 22A Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng District (51690378, 51690329); Building 3, Tuanjiehu Beikou, Dongsanhuan Lu, southeast corner of Changhong Qiao, Chaoyang District (65822892, 65824003).

• Din Tai Fung, 24 Xinyuanxili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District (65624502); 6/F, Shin Kong Place, China Central Place, 87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (65331536), www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/index.asp.

• Fauchon, B1/F & 2/F, Shin Kong Place, 87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (65331266, Ext. 8228), www.fauchon.com.

• Green T. House, 6 Gongti Xilu, Chaoyang District (65528310, 65528311); 318 Hegezhuang Cun, Chaoyang District (84564922), www.green-t-house.com.

• Guo Li Zhuang, 34B, Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng District (84035188); Room 40, Wangfa Market, Xisanqi, Haidian District (62719176).

• Le Pre Lenotre, 6/F, Sofitel Wanda Beijing, Building C, Wanda Plaza, 93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (85996666), tinyurl.com/5m32hy.

• Whampoa Club, 23A Jinrong Dajie, Xicheng District (88088828).

Associated Press writer John Leicester contributed to the article.