Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper peruses the menu at Yiwanju, a restaurant specializing in traditional Beijing snacks. [Photo: China Daily]

Yiwanju, or "one bowl", a restaurant specializing in Beijing snacks has managed to grab the limelight over the past few days after having received a team of distinguished guests led by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on February 9.

Accompanied by his wife, the Prime Minister ordered a number of Beijing specialty dishes including Peking noodles with meat sauce, Wan Dou Huang (pea flour cake) and Ai Wo Wo (Sticky Rice with Sweet Filling), with the help of his guide Mark Rowswell, better known among Chinese people by his stage name, Dashan. Rowswell was recently appointed Canada's Goodwill Ambassador to China for his contribution towards bridging the cultural gap between China and his home country.

Dashan is a frequent patron of Yiwanju restaurant and as such introduced a variety of Beijing snacks to the Prime Minister and his wife. With a history of over 16 years, the Yiwanju restaurant located in Fengtai district attracts customers not only for its food but also for its unique decorations. The 100-square-meter restaurant is furnished with traditional Chinese cultural articles, including old photos of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties, vintage bird cages and Jingdezhen porcelain. The restaurant also gives a small-scale opera performance every week.

According to staff working at the restaurant, the Prime Ministerial couple did not choose to sit in the private box despite the public dining area being full during the lunch hour. The Prime Minister and his wife observed how the dishes were made through a glass window next to the open kitchen.