One of the fanciest places to eat in Beijing today is the Temple, an ancient hall of worship that has been transformed into a restaurant and - soon - a small boutique hotel with eight rooms. It's excellent cuisine is more contemporary European than anything Chinese, but the venue alone is worth the visit. Ignace Lecleir, who long managed the Maison Bouloud, is at the helm, but I spoke mostly with their sommelier, Henry Wu, who was more than magnanimous yesterday, opening a different bottle for each of my seven courses. My favourite was the 2006 Roero from Matteo Correggio, a pure Nebbiolo. Like the Valmaggiore from Sandrone, the sandier soils north of the Tanaro give the tannins a polish in their youth that Barolo takes years to acquire. A fine haze and lonely drizzle added to the charm of the evening. Have a look: www.temple-restaurant.com. Comments