You come here for Gorgonzola-crusted, bone-in buffalo rib eye or red-wine-braised Montana lamb shank.

FORBES: Just the ticket

That evening , the Lindens, their two sons and I feasted on a local version of the classic hong shao yu (red-cooked fish), fried until golden then braised in a soy-based sauce with fragrant seasonings like star anise, cinnamon and chili paste.

WSJ: Cormorant Fishing in Yunnan Province, China

The bravest order is, as it happens, the most flavorful: a chopped salad of dime-size coins of chilled, braised octopus with chives and red peppers.

NEWYORKER: Francesca

Sample it with traditional Yunnanese dishes such as grilled goat cheese and wood-ear mushrooms braised in vinegar at the restaurant of Yunnan Red Chateau (yunnanhong.cc), about 14 kilometers from the town of Mile, while looking out over 4, 000 hectares of vineyards, touted as the only wine-producing area above 1, 500 meters.

WSJ: Only in...Yunnan

Lightly crushed to release flavor and aroma, they're often paired with red cabbage, but they also ennoble ordinary green cabbage, shredded and quick-braised with leeks and a splash of cream.

WSJ: Jumping Juniper