A hidden subterranean restaurant inside the Forbidden City? Yes. It is called Bingjiao Restaurant.
Turns out the emperor's ice storage rooms make for a pretty cool restaurant, which can afford 300 diners.
Built during the Qianlong Emperor period (1711-1799) of the Qing dynasty, the underground store didn't just serve as a spot to keep ice cool, but as a giant refrigerator for the royal family's food in summer.
The restaurant is situated near the Cining Gong (the Forbidden City's west wing).
Steeping into it, you will arrive at the ancient part of the new development with its original 300-year-old, 2-meter-thick stone walls.
From the tables and pillars that look like blocks of ice, to the chandeliers seemingly made from icicles, everything really runs with the theme.
