Racking your mind on where to eat during the holiday week? Here are some of our recommendations, arranged conveniently in a day-by-day format.

Oct. 1

Cantonese-style soup

WARM and nutritious soup may help relieve your stress. So enjoy a bowl of Cantonese soup for a moment of peace.

Toudantang (头啖汤), famous in Guangzhou for its authentic Cantonese-style soup, opened its first outlet in Shenzhen at the Portofino housing complex. About 300 meters from Qiaoxiang Road, the restaurant is not far from Laurel, another top Cantonese restaurant.

With a unique European-style garden environment, Toudantang is where East meets West. Diners here can enjoy authentic Cantonese food here unlike anything served in other Chinese restaurants in Shenzhen.

Toudantang

Add: Portofino, Overseas Chinese Town, Nanshan District (南山区华侨城波托菲诺纯水岸小区)

Tel: 8608-2219, 8608-2213

Oct. 2

Fine dining at 51 Restaurant　　

THE 51 Restaurant near Sea World in Shekou is renowned for its tiramisu with a taste of brandy, and barbecues.

Diners will forget their daily troubles when they sit on the balcony here. Australian beef steak barbecued on volcano rocks is a dish unique to the restaurant. Tiramisu, a favorite among the ladies, mixes the intoxicating flavors of cheese, cream and brandy. The pumpkin soup is also sweet and tasty.

The restaurant is a place where people can enjoy delicacies in fresh natural surroundings.

Add: 51 Restaurant, Yubitao Garden, Shekou (蛇口榆碧涛园51号花园西餐厅)

Tel: 2686-8851

Hours: 10 a.m.-1 a.m.

Oct. 3

Savoring crabs at Westlake Spring

Autumn is the time for chrysanthemums, hairy crabs, and sweet rice liquor.

In Shenzhen, one of the best restaurants for Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs is Westlake Spring, which features Yangtze River cuisine.

The hairy crabs served here are authentic and carefully processed. This year, chefs have come up with a crab banquet with 28 different courses. One recommended dish is the orange crab - with crab flesh mixed with fruit wine and ginger steamed in fresh orange. A soup boiled with crab eggs, frog ovaries and mushrooms is popular for those who crave better skin.

Westlake Spring, Baihui outlet

Add: 2, 3 floors, Baihui Building, 3019 Sungang Road East (深圳市笋岗东路3019号百汇大厦2-3楼)

Tel: 8211-6988, 8211-7988

Oct. 4

Mountain and Lake Garden Farm

LAKE views and lakeside cottages, the Mountain and Lake Garden Farm is a perfect place for a day trip, and eating Hakka-style country food there is really enjoyable. The chicken and vegetables here are raised in a clean environment far from industrial pollution. And lots of home-made specialties will surely satisfy your taste buds.

Besides enjoying food, the farm is fully equipped with recreation facilities like boats, a pottery , bungee jumping and fishing pool.

Add: Mountain and Lake Garden Farm, Guanlan, Bao'an District (深圳观澜山水田园农庄)

Tel: 2967-9888

Oct. 5

The German Bierhaus in Shekou is the place where you can satisfy your craving for German beer and food.

It delivers a convivial and spontaneous atmosphere in a traditional Munich beer house setting --- wooden seats and tables in dark color, big clay beer mugs (steins), Munich beer festival posters, and waitresses in Bavarian-style costumes, together with lively Bavarian music.

Besides beer, there is also a large selection of German food, ranging from the ever-popular German pork knuckle with potato dumplings, white sausages with bread and sweet mustard, to homemade Apple Strudel with vanilla sauce and pretzels.

Add: Bierhaus, Sea World (蛇口海上世界Bierhaus)

Tel: 2669-9591

Oct. 6

92 Degrees Coffee Shop

One of Shenzhen's hidden gems, 92 Degrees Coffee Shop is an atmospheric, otherworldly place where time seems to stop from the moment you enter. Its long curtains, dim lighting and ultra-comfortable seating create a world so far-removed from Shenzhen that you might be tricked into wondering that you are no longer on the mainland.

Ideal for an intensely romantic date, a quiet evening chat with friends or merely as a place to while away long afternoons, 92 even has a private viewing room where you can watch DVDs. There is also a wide selection of books in case you feel bored. The coffee's passable, but if you're looking for a place with real character, this is the only place in Shenzhen you should consider.

Add: 72 Nanyuan Road, Futian District, near Shangbu Building (深圳市南园路72号, 上步大厦旁）

Tel: 8362-9008