Exploring Xinghongge: Shanghai’s 60-Year-Old Halal Spot for Beef Pan-Fried Buns and Potstickers in Hongkou
[Internet Repost]
Exploring Xinghongge (Formerly Islamic Restaurant): A 60-Year-Old Halal Legend in Shanghai's Hongkou District for Niurou Jianbao and Oversized Potstickers
Summary:
A visit to Xinghongge (formerly the Hongkou Islamic Restaurant), a neighborhood Halal staple in Shanghai's Hongkou District carrying 60 years of local memories. Check out the freshly wrapped and pan-fried crispy niurou jianbao (pan-fried beef buns) and oversized guotie (crispy beef potstickers) at the ground-floor takeout window, and experience the hearty flavors that generations of old Shanghai locals have loved for decades.
Hongkou has a super famous Halal eatery that used to go by the straightforward name 'Islamic Restaurant,' though it recently had to change its name due to regulations. Their crispy niurou jianbao and massive guotie are absolute legends that keep food lovers coming back for more~
It's now called Xinghongge Restaurant. This is our first time back since the old spot reopened under the new name. The overall layout feels pretty much the same, except they’ve gotten rid of the indoor dining seating on the first floor~
There are still plenty of local aunties waiting in line, as always~
The open kitchen is fully exposed to view. Inside, you can see five or six staff members each handling their own station, from kneading the dough to frying up the buns~
The menu is way shorter than it used to be. I remember they used to have niangao tuan (sticky rice cake rolls), but those are completely gone now. The core items really boil down to just three to five things~
The niurou jianbao. You pay with your ticket and pick them up yourself at the window. They're 5 RMB each, buy four get one free, and they were fresh out of the pan, which is a major plus. Eating them feels a bit like having a deep-fried leavened steamed bun—the dough is on the thicker side, but the crust is super crispy and it doesn't feel greasy at all!
The beef filling inside isn't actually that heavy; cabbage makes up a pretty high percentage of it. It feels a bit loose when you bite into it, and there isn't much soup, so it mostly relies on seasoning for that extra punch of aroma!
The niurou guotie (crispy beef potstickers) go for 10 RMB per liang (about 50 grams), and they were fresh out of the pan too! They're quite large, but the wrapper is thick and sticks to your teeth. The folds weren't even sealed properly, and they tasted kind of dry, though the bottom crust was seriously crunchy~
They use the exact same filling as the jianbao~
The curry beef soup is 15 RMB. The curry flavor in the broth is super rich, with just a hint of bitterness~
I gotta be honest, they're super generous with the beef—there's a ton of it. That said, most of it is just bits and pieces, and it tasted a bit dry and stringy!
Even though I thought the food was just so-so, regular customers keep streaming into the shop nonstop. After all, it is a neighborhood institution that's been around for close to 60 years~
Xinghongge Restaurant • Niurou Jianbao Address: 2035 North Sichuan Road, Hongkou District~
END
Exploring Xinghongge (Formerly Islamic Restaurant): A 60-Year-Old Halal Legend in Shanghai's Hongkou District for Niurou Jianbao and Oversized Potstickers
Summary:
A visit to Xinghongge (formerly the Hongkou Islamic Restaurant), a neighborhood Halal staple in Shanghai's Hongkou District carrying 60 years of local memories. Check out the freshly wrapped and pan-fried crispy niurou jianbao (pan-fried beef buns) and oversized guotie (crispy beef potstickers) at the ground-floor takeout window, and experience the hearty flavors that generations of old Shanghai locals have loved for decades.
Hongkou has a super famous Halal eatery that used to go by the straightforward name 'Islamic Restaurant,' though it recently had to change its name due to regulations. Their crispy niurou jianbao and massive guotie are absolute legends that keep food lovers coming back for more~
It's now called Xinghongge Restaurant. This is our first time back since the old spot reopened under the new name. The overall layout feels pretty much the same, except they’ve gotten rid of the indoor dining seating on the first floor~
There are still plenty of local aunties waiting in line, as always~
The open kitchen is fully exposed to view. Inside, you can see five or six staff members each handling their own station, from kneading the dough to frying up the buns~
The menu is way shorter than it used to be. I remember they used to have niangao tuan (sticky rice cake rolls), but those are completely gone now. The core items really boil down to just three to five things~
The niurou jianbao. You pay with your ticket and pick them up yourself at the window. They're 5 RMB each, buy four get one free, and they were fresh out of the pan, which is a major plus. Eating them feels a bit like having a deep-fried leavened steamed bun—the dough is on the thicker side, but the crust is super crispy and it doesn't feel greasy at all!
The beef filling inside isn't actually that heavy; cabbage makes up a pretty high percentage of it. It feels a bit loose when you bite into it, and there isn't much soup, so it mostly relies on seasoning for that extra punch of aroma!
The niurou guotie (crispy beef potstickers) go for 10 RMB per liang (about 50 grams), and they were fresh out of the pan too! They're quite large, but the wrapper is thick and sticks to your teeth. The folds weren't even sealed properly, and they tasted kind of dry, though the bottom crust was seriously crunchy~
They use the exact same filling as the jianbao~
The curry beef soup is 15 RMB. The curry flavor in the broth is super rich, with just a hint of bitterness~
I gotta be honest, they're super generous with the beef—there's a ton of it. That said, most of it is just bits and pieces, and it tasted a bit dry and stringy!
Even though I thought the food was just so-so, regular customers keep streaming into the shop nonstop. After all, it is a neighborhood institution that's been around for close to 60 years~
Xinghongge Restaurant • Niurou Jianbao Address: 2035 North Sichuan Road, Hongkou District~
END
