Housed in the elegant County Hall building, Zen China offers diners a stunning view across the River Thames taking in the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Tower Bridge. Specialising in traditional Chinese cuisine, it invites guests to sample the glories of the imperial Beijing style of cooking in a grand riverside setting and is the perfect venue to recharge your batteries after taking in the South Bank's numerous sights and attractions.

A skilfully assembled menu focuses on traditional northern Chinese cuisine with specialities including hot and spicy beef fillet and tripe slices, and marinated spinach and peanuts and north-east China mustard flavoured bean thread. For a special treat allow yourself the pleasure of tucking into the restaurant's signature dish, Beijing roast duck, also known as Peking duck, which is skilfully carved at your table and served in two courses; first with pancakes, trimmings and hoi sin sauce and then stir fried with vegetables and pickles and served on lettuce, a gastronomic experience in itself. Customers should note that only a limited number of Beijing ducks are prepared each day so it is advisable to order one beforehand.

Starters of steamed fresh scallops with garlic, crispy king prawn shredded potato wrap, salt and pepper squid, spare ribs in barbeque sauce or deep fried duck rolls are ideal to get the meal going. The bountiful seafood selection embraces such dishes as fresh lobster with ginger and spring onion, wok fried fresh crab with salted egg yolk, braised sea bass slices in spicy Beijing sauce, classic kung pao king prawns, stir fried squid with asparagus and assorted seafood with spicy XO sauce. Main course meat dishes include sizzling spicy chicken with black beans, chicken with oyster mushrooms, Beijing minced duck meat lettuce wrap, classic double cooked pork slices with leek, marinated pork belly slices with north-east Chinese sauerkraut, fillet steak slices with dried chilli and spices, quick fried lamb slices with pine nuts and lamb skewers. You could also try steamed or wok fried dumplings filled with beef and radish, pork with celery, seafood with egg and chive and chicken with green pepper and shrimp.

Accompaniments include roast duck noodle soup, fresh shrimp, egg and tomato noodle soup, fried rice with duck meat, and chicken slices with fried noodles or a classic egg fried rice and vegetable slices with fried noodles. Vegetarians are also well catered for and can look forward to tofu with mushrooms and green and red peppers, braised mushrooms with seasonal Chinese greens with garlic, or traditional street market style potato, aubergine and green peppers. To round off consider apple tart Beijing style, coconut crème brûlée or chocolate delight.

Zen China also offers an extensive range of set menus with options such as the Zen Budda vegetarian menu and the luxurious Ci-Xi seafood menu which includes Imperial seafood and crab soup, and the signature 'Five Willow' sweet and sour sea bass. To accompany the meal diners can choose from an impressive wine list featuring well-chosen red and white wines from the old and new worlds as well as number of fine champagnes including Moutard, Bollinger and Dom Perignon. Check on their Website for further information.