Dingshan · Jiangyan

The panoramic lake views from this light-filled space atop an office tower are lovely to behold. But they don't outshine the refined Suzhou cooking that showcases the best local produce in season. The signature Suzhou claypot rice with braised pork and green garlic features young bamboo shoots in spring and chestnuts in autumn. House-made chilli sauce with beef and dried fish adds a kick; the scorched rice at the bottom imparts smoky crispness.