Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.





The Qingxiangge restaurant at Dongdaqiao was replaced by Jinfang Snacks this year, and I just went to try it recently. Once inside, I found it is completely different from the old shop at Ciqikou. It uses a self-service tray system with small bowls of stewed dishes, small portions of stir-fries, and a huge variety of mixed salads, noodles, and snacks. It is incredibly rich in options. Small bowls and small plates are rare in traditional Beijing restaurants, making them perfect for people who want to try several different dishes.

We ordered winter melon meatball soup (donggua cuan wanzi), stir-stir-fried meat with eggs and wood ear mushrooms (muxu rou), stir-fried green beans with pork (biandou chaorou), sea bream fillets (diaoyu pian), and healthy mixed vegetables (yangsheng cai), with corn and red bean rice for our main course. The cheaper meat dishes are mostly chicken, while the beef stew is priced like a standard old Beijing restaurant for Hui Muslims. The winter melon meatball soup goes great with rice, and eating rice soaked in the broth feels just like being a kid again.

Jinfang Snack Shop is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, so it can finally call itself a century-old shop. Jinfang was originally called Rongxiangcheng Hui Muslim Snack Shop, founded in 1926 outside Chongwenmen by Man Leting (known as Man Liu), a Hui Muslim from Dezhou, Shandong. Man Leting started out with beef and mutton. At first, he bought high-quality cattle and sheep every autumn to raise in Madian, slaughtering and selling them as needed. His business improved significantly in the 1940s, so he expanded his storefront and later began selling cooked foods like roasted mutton (shao yangrou). view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

Pot-stewed lamb is a classic Russian main course. Traditionally, it is cooked during long, cold winters by stewing meat in a clay pot over a wood-burning fireplace, then sealing the lid and burying it in the fireplace embers for several hours. Their pot-stewed lamb broth is very fresh, similar to Xinjiang cup-stewed lamb (gangzirou), but the lamb is a bit tough rather than tender.

I really like the Azerbaijani pilaf. I made sure to eat the authentic version when I visited Azerbaijan, and after coming back, I think both Ruilin and Dardanelles make a good version. Azerbaijani pilaf is dyed yellow with saffron and includes dried apricots, prunes, chestnuts, and raisins. The lamb is salty and savory, while the dried fruits add sweetness, creating a very rich flavor profile.



















I finally had the cheese beef burger at Yilan Liyuan on Niujie this weekend. They only have regular and California-style options now. The California-style burger adds lettuce and tomato, and you can order it as a single or double patty. They do not let you eat inside the shop, so you have to eat at the entrance or take it away. I waited five minutes at the door and it was ready. The single-layer size is decent, and the crust was baked hot on the spot, but the filling felt a bit dense and not very fluffy. The meat pie tastes good, but it feels a bit loose, as if it wasn't packed tightly enough. Overall it is pretty good, but it would be even better if there were other things to pair it with. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

This article summarizes the key points of '10 Halal Restaurants in Beijing Worth Trying (Part 9),' keeping the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles, and makes it easy to search for topics like Uyghur culture, marriage and family, and the ninth installment.

The list includes Shunhexiang Harbin-style stir-fry in Tongzhou, Fenghong Old Beijing Flavor in Changping, Aidamu Xinjiang street barbecue in Shilihe, Ruilin Azerbaijani restaurant near Ritan, Yilan Liyuan American-style burgers on Niujie, Guxiangzhai Tianjin-style shaved ice in Hufangqiao, Niujie's Big Green Bag stinky tofu, Zafran Pakistani restaurant in Xinyuanli, Jinfang Snack Bar in Dongdaqiao, and Ali & Wang's rotating kebab in Sanlitun.

I heard that the Harbin Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurant Shunhexiang opened in Beijing's Tongzhou sub-center, so I came to try it out for dinner. The restaurant is located in a new residential complex along the Grand Canal in Tongzhou. The environment is great, and the private room's turntable is button-controlled, making it easy to reach the dishes.

They specialize in Heilongjiang Hui Muslim cuisine and have also added some southern Chinese dishes to their menu. We ordered the savory sweet and sour pork (guobaorou), sauerkraut beef rib stew, colorful starch noodles (dalapi), stir-fried lily bulbs with bamboo shoots, and beef steamed dumplings (shaomai). The best of these was the steamed dumplings. The skin was thin and chewy, and the filling was fragrant and not greasy. I think they are better than the other Hui Muslim steamed dumplings currently in Beijing. The sweet and sour pork had a good texture and wasn't fried too hard. I think it's better than another Heilongjiang Hui Muslim restaurant in Beijing. The sauerkraut tasted great, but there was very little beef, and there were very few lily bulbs in the lily bulb and bamboo shoot dish. Overall, the restaurant is definitely worth a visit. The biggest problem is that it is too far from the city center, almost reaching Hebei. It is best suited for those driving there or people working in the sub-center.



















On Sunday, I was in Changping and had Beijing-style food for lunch at Fenghong Old Beijing Flavor in Xiaotangshan.

We ordered the three-person set meal, which included half a roast duck, grilled meat on a round iron plate (zhizi kaorou), stir-fried mixed vegetables (chao hecai), and duck frame tofu soup. This three-person set is a great value, and we were stuffed after finishing it. The duck tasted good, and the kids really liked it. The portion of stir-fried mixed vegetables (chao hecai) was huge, and it tasted great too.

The grilled meat on a round iron plate (zhizi kaorou) was a hit with both the Xinjiang and Hunan people at our table; the meat was tender but still had a nice chew. However, it must have been pre-marinated because it was spicy and couldn't be made mild, so the kids couldn't eat it. Duck frame soup is a must-have with roast duck; it was very savory and we couldn't stop drinking it.

Besides roast duck, they also serve traditional Hui Muslims' eight big bowls (badawan). If you are visiting Changping, you should come here to eat. They don't close in the afternoon, so it is perfect for a late meal after sightseeing.



















In the evening, we went to Shilihe to eat barbecue at Aidamu. I had heard they were very famous, but this was my first time eating there, and I was truly impressed. They have basically brought the level of a local Xinjiang night market to Beijing; eating there felt just like being back in Xinjiang.

There is a large parking lot right across from the restaurant, making it very convenient if you drive there. When we arrived at 6:30, the place was already packed, so we set up a table in the parking lot across the street. Since the temperature has risen in May, it is perfect for eating barbecue outdoors.

At their place, you grab the skewers yourself from the freezer. We had lamb liver, lamb heart, lamb skewers, and lamb chops. The lamb liver was very tender, definitely top-tier for Beijing. The lamb heart had more chew than the liver, and it was also quite good. The lamb skewers had no gamey smell at all, just the pure aroma of lamb, which is very rare in Beijing.

We had the pilaf (zhuafan) fresh out of the pot at seven o'clock. It was shiny and oily, though the lamb was a bit tougher compared to the skewers. Overall, it was still good. I happened to hear the table next to us complaining that their rice was undercooked. Actually, I think pilaf is only good when the rice is a bit firm. If the rice is too soft and mushy, it just becomes regular steamed rice.



















On the weekend, we had dinner at Kavkaz Ruilin, a long-standing Azerbaijani restaurant on Ritan Upper Street, to enjoy some Russian and Caucasian food. This is a classic former Soviet-style restaurant in Beijing that has been open for over a decade. It mostly serves merchants from Russian-speaking regions who come to Yabaolu to source goods. Its Chinese name used to be Ruilin, but it has been changed to Ruilin.

After the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, many traders (daoye) took green-skinned trains to Beijing and headed straight to Yabaolu to stock up on goods. They brought down jackets, leather shoes, toys, and other small items back home to sell for huge profits. Yabaolu gradually grew from street stalls and tents into Beijing's largest wholesale market for Russian-speaking regions, and more former Soviet-style restaurants opened up on nearby Ritan Upper Street. Over a decade ago, Ritan Upper Street was mainly home to Central Asian and Azerbaijani restaurants, including Uzbek and Kazakh spots.

Over the last decade, Russia's economic decline, the shift of markets to places like Yiwu, Guangzhou, and Suifenhe, and the rise of cross-border e-commerce have caused trade with Russia on Yabaolu to shrink. Yitan Shangjie has gradually become a hub for Uyghur restaurants. Besides Dardanelles and Desert Rose, which focus on Turkish food, the only other Azerbaijani restaurant is Ruilin. For Central Asian food, there is the Turkmenistan restaurant Merv downstairs, which also serves Russian dishes.

At first, Ruilin had dim lighting, making it a good spot for traders to talk business, but many Chinese people were afraid to go inside. In recent years, the lighting at Ruilin has become brighter, but when we visited, there were only Russian-speaking customers, and we did not see any other Chinese people eating there.

We ordered borscht (hongcaitang), pot-stewed lamb (manguan yangrou), chive pancakes (jiucaibing), Azerbaijani pilaf (zhuafan), and grilled vegetables. Their borscht is closer to the Russian style than the one at Merv. Merv's beef soup has a stronger flavor, while their version has a more intense beet taste, which is also quite good.

Pot-stewed lamb is a classic Russian main course. Traditionally, it is cooked during long, cold winters by stewing meat in a clay pot over a wood-burning fireplace, then sealing the lid and burying it in the fireplace embers for several hours. Their pot-stewed lamb broth is very fresh, similar to Xinjiang cup-stewed lamb (gangzirou), but the lamb is a bit tough rather than tender.

I really like the Azerbaijani pilaf. I made sure to eat the authentic version when I visited Azerbaijan, and after coming back, I think both Ruilin and Dardanelles make a good version. Azerbaijani pilaf is dyed yellow with saffron and includes dried apricots, prunes, chestnuts, and raisins. The lamb is salty and savory, while the dried fruits add sweetness, creating a very rich flavor profile.



















I finally had the cheese beef burger at Yilan Liyuan on Niujie this weekend. They only have regular and California-style options now. The California-style burger adds lettuce and tomato, and you can order it as a single or double patty. They do not let you eat inside the shop, so you have to eat at the entrance or take it away. I waited five minutes at the door and it was ready. The single-layer size is decent, and the crust was baked hot on the spot, but the filling felt a bit dense and not very fluffy. The meat pie tastes good, but it feels a bit loose, as if it wasn't packed tightly enough. Overall it is pretty good, but it would be even better if there were other things to pair it with.









A Tianjin halal shaved ice and steamed pancake (zhengbing) shop called Guxiangzhai has opened at Hufangqiao. Since the weather is getting warmer lately, many people are coming to eat shaved ice. For my first visit, I chose the traditional-style shaved ice. It contains sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao), red hawthorn fruit, dried apricots, strawberries, mulberries, pineapple, orange, fresh apricots, and red beans. It actually has more ingredients than the truly traditional version, and it is mainly sweet and sour to whet your appetite. Sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao) is the soul of Tianjin traditional shaved ice. It is made by grinding dried wild sour jujubes into powder and boiling it with rock sugar. You can buy large blocks of sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao) at the entrance of the archway of the South Mosque (Nandasi) in the Northwest Corner. It also tastes great when mixed directly with water.

Their dinosaur egg three-apricot shaved ice is also a signature item. It contains Kashgar Hami apricots, Yengisar Saimaiti red apricots, Aksu Situan dried apricots, and secret-recipe preserved fruit made from wild hawthorn from Shanxi. It sounds very good.

They also sell various snacks. We bought a steamed pancake (zhengbing) with a red hawthorn filling, which is sweet and sour and perfect for breakfast. It is a pity that the rice cakes (gaogan) were sold out, so I bought a rice cake (migao) with a sour hawthorn paste flavor. It was a bit dry, but the taste was still good. I also bought a snack called "five blacks," which contains black rice, black beans, black mulberries, black goji berries, and black sesame seeds. It sounds very healthy.



















Across from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences on Niujie Street, the roast lamb leg shop with the big green sign sells stinky tofu with sauce. The sauce is made from beef bone broth (niubanggu aotang), and it really has a meaty flavor. I remember eating fried stinky tofu topped with fermented bean curd sauce from a cart run by local Hui Muslims on Binjiang Road in Tianjin. That flavor was truly satisfying.









A new alcohol-free Pakistani restaurant called Zafran just opened in Jiayi Plaza near Liangmaqiao. It is very close to the Liangma River, and since it only opened a few days ago, I came specifically to try it.

I looked at the menu and was surprised to find many Afghan Pashtun dishes. I asked the server, and he is a Pashtun from Peshawar. I decided to order a few Pashtun dishes to try, as some of them cannot be found in other Pakistani restaurants.

First, I must praise their excellent service. The Pashtun waiter, Anas Khan, always greeted us with a smile and even did a fist bump with my son, Suleiman. As soon as we sat down, they brought us black tea, lemon water, and fried dough twists (mayezi). Later, they served a special dried fruit milkshake with walnuts and almonds. Finally, they gave Suleiman a small cup of thin yogurt drink (lassi) and a piece of baklava, which made him very happy.

The atmosphere is also very nice, with curtained sofa areas on one side that are perfect for families. There are no large private rooms, but if you have a big group, you can push tables together in the main dining area. There is also outdoor seating at the entrance, which is great for having desserts and drinks in the summer.

We ordered Afghan pilaf, Peshawar-style lamb, and Kandahar naan. You can tell these are Pashtun specialties just by their names. We also ordered a Caesar salad, french fries, and salty yogurt drink (lassi). Since they just opened, they gave us a 30% discount, which was a great deal.

Afghan pilaf originated in the border region between northern Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. It is known as Qabili Palaw in Afghanistan and later spread from there to West Asia, Central Asia, and Pakistan. Afghan pilaf (pulao) differs from Xinjiang pilaf because it uses long-grain aromatic rice from South Asia and a bit of saffron for color. It is cooked with ghee and vegetable oil, and the carrots are sliced thinly. It also includes cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, giving it a stronger spice flavor than Xinjiang pilaf. Their Afghan pilaf includes fresh almonds and raisins, but the meat is a bit tough and hard for children to chew. The spice flavor is very rich.

This was my first time eating Peshawar Shinwari lamb, and I highly recommend it! The lamb is very tender and the seasoning is excellent. Peshawar Shinwari lamb is cooked in a metal wok called a karahi. It is a classic main dish for the Pashtun people in northern Pakistan, especially prepared after the animal sacrifice during Eid al-Adha. It is made with fresh bone-in lamb, salt, garlic, and green chilies, without the heavy spices found in southern Pakistan.

Their Kandahar flatbread (nan) is also amazing and pairs perfectly with the Peshawar lamb. Kandahar flatbread is also popular in Pakistan. It is very fluffy because milk and sugar are added to the dough, making it more fragrant.

I also recommend their yogurt drink (lassi). It is not too sour, but it is very appetizing.



















The Qingxiangge restaurant at Dongdaqiao was replaced by Jinfang Snacks this year, and I just went to try it recently. Once inside, I found it is completely different from the old shop at Ciqikou. It uses a self-service tray system with small bowls of stewed dishes, small portions of stir-fries, and a huge variety of mixed salads, noodles, and snacks. It is incredibly rich in options. Small bowls and small plates are rare in traditional Beijing restaurants, making them perfect for people who want to try several different dishes.

We ordered winter melon meatball soup (donggua cuan wanzi), stir-stir-fried meat with eggs and wood ear mushrooms (muxu rou), stir-fried green beans with pork (biandou chaorou), sea bream fillets (diaoyu pian), and healthy mixed vegetables (yangsheng cai), with corn and red bean rice for our main course. The cheaper meat dishes are mostly chicken, while the beef stew is priced like a standard old Beijing restaurant for Hui Muslims. The winter melon meatball soup goes great with rice, and eating rice soaked in the broth feels just like being a kid again.

Jinfang Snack Shop is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, so it can finally call itself a century-old shop. Jinfang was originally called Rongxiangcheng Hui Muslim Snack Shop, founded in 1926 outside Chongwenmen by Man Leting (known as Man Liu), a Hui Muslim from Dezhou, Shandong. Man Leting started out with beef and mutton. At first, he bought high-quality cattle and sheep every autumn to raise in Madian, slaughtering and selling them as needed. His business improved significantly in the 1940s, so he expanded his storefront and later began selling cooked foods like roasted mutton (shao yangrou).

In the past, spring and summer were the growing seasons for sheep, so they were usually only slaughtered after autumn. Because of this, some mutton shops would switch to selling cold food during the summer. In the 1940s, Man Leting bought Japanese refrigeration equipment to sell homemade popsicles, soda, and other cold drinks, and business was booming. In 1949, mutton shipments from Inner Mongolia to Beijing were blocked, and the sheep trade hit rock bottom. Just then, Man Leiting's fellow townsman Man Kaiqi came to join him. Man Kaiqi had a background in a pastry shop, so Man Liu stopped selling lamb and switched to snacks and cold dishes, making Rongxiangcheng a famous Hui Muslim snack shop outside Chongwenmen. After the public-private partnership in 1956, Man Leiting's son Man Kaitong became the manager, and in 1958, they stopped making popsicles to focus on snacks like almond tofu (xingren doufu) and sweet rice balls (yuanxiao). In 1966, Rongxiangcheng was officially renamed Jinfang Hui Muslim Snack Shop, and in 1971, it began to focus on sweet rice balls (yuanxiao), which have drawn long lines every year around the Lantern Festival since the 1990s.



















A new shawarma rotisserie shop just opened at the north entrance of Sanlitun SOHO. We went there for dinner; one of the guys working there is from Turkmenistan and the other is from Russia, and almost all the customers were foreigners. The wraps and burgers tasted okay, though the garlic sauce was quite strong. But when we went, they were just starting to roast a new batch of beef, so the pre-sliced beef wasn't very hot. Also, the flatbread wraps they used weren't warm. Still, the vibe is just like a rotisserie shop on a Middle Eastern street; there are no seats, so you grab one to eat on the go and pretend you are in Damascus.

















Part 1: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying: Pakistani restaurant Lahore Courtyard, Henan Jiaozuo beef knife-cut noodles Maimairehong, halal Mongolian food Hulun Aile, West African Ghana Tribe Garden, Xi'an Xing Laosi meatball spicy soup, Xinjiang Changji Jinying meatball soup, Xinjiang Hotan Canteen, Syrian BRBR, Beijing fusion food Gulou Chimian, and Beijing traditional food Xilaisun.

Part 2: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying (Part 2): UAE restaurant Gulf Mandi Restaurant, Xinjiang Mansion Xihan meatball soup, Xinjiang Mansion lobby Altay afternoon tea, Muhejia revolving hot pot, Xinjiang Urumqi Nazilan (closed), Beijing pastry shop Baoyuanzhai (closed), Pakistani Samosa China-Pakistan Friendship Restaurant, Ma Ye Roast Duck (closed), Bangladeshi Benjibi Restaurant, and Huairou Shihu Cheng Resort.

Part 3: 10 new Beijing restaurants I recently tried. JM Italian Coffee Dongsi branch, halal Hunan-style stir-fry Huixiangyun (now closed) Wangjing branch, Shandong Dezhou Old Ma's lamb soup (yangtang) and steamed dumplings (zhengjiao), Sanlitun Philly cheesesteak (now closed), Pakistani Roma Restaurant (now closed), Muyuzhai garlic lamb intestines (lan suan yang chang), Inner Mongolia Lianying steamed dumplings (shaomai) Caoyuan Shiliuhong, Wangfujing Gansu spicy hot pot (malatang), and Yuezhen Yayuan halal courtyard restaurant.

Part 4: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Hotan rose pilaf (zhua fan) Yizhuang branch, Taiba Western-style bakery, Taiba South Sanlitun Road street shop, Zhaotong small meat skewers Guijie Ganmaya BBQ (now closed), Baixiaobei Heilongjiang BBQ shop, Yunnan Muwenzhai dry-pot beef, Sanlitun Xinjiang restaurant Jiangjiang, Huixiangyun halal Hunan restaurant Zuojiazhuang branch, Yili ice cream shop Bazaar Sweetheart, and Dongzhimen Inner Qianyuan Hotel.

Part 5: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Sandyq Kazakhstan restaurant, Kashgar restaurant, Ahmed restaurant, Jingbalang Naan Bazaar, MacMac Lebanese restaurant, Humaer Xinjiang specialty food, Lao Huihui dumpling restaurant Zoo branch, Fresh Milk Town (now closed) Shuangjing branch, Nawab restaurant, and Liuji Watch Repair BBQ shop.

Part 6: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Hongyunlou Huaiyang cuisine, Sanhe beef noodles (now closed), JM Coffee and Bakery Dajixiang branch, Wanhe fatty beef, Xiangqing roast duck (now closed), Culture Pakistani restaurant, Italian Firenze Western restaurant, Niujie Dashuntang, Zhenweizhai Tianjin cuisine, and Dardanelles children's meal.

Part 7: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. JM Western restaurant Chaonei branch, Palestinian restaurant Rose City, Baoding beef soup with flatbread (niurou zhaobing), Pakistani restaurant Al Rayyan, Yili Loulan restaurant Guijie branch, Dianxinyuan Yunnan cuisine, Heilongjiang Suihua restaurant Muxiangyuan, Sanlitun Turkish restaurant, Chaoyangmen fast food stall, and Pakistani buffet Habibi.

Part 8: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Xinjiang Hui Muslim home-style cooking Yige Huangluobo, Liaoning Hui Muslim spicy hot pot (malatang), Hebei Daming Hui Muslim meat pie (roubing) Yimian Liaoyuan (now closed), Hebei Chengde Hui Muslim steamed dumplings (shaomai) Dongtucheng branch, Xilaishun Xisi branch, Longfusi market, Heilongjiang Suihua Hui Muslim Mashi Muxiangyuan Baizhifang branch, Turpan Uyghur restaurant Tianshan, Niujie cafe Sanwanghu, and Heilongjiang Hui Muslim iron pot stew (tieguo dun). view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.















Part 1: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying: Pakistani restaurant Lahore Courtyard, Henan Jiaozuo beef knife-cut noodles Maimairehong, halal Mongolian food Hulun Aile, West African Ghana Tribe Garden, Xi'an Xing Laosi meatball spicy soup, Xinjiang Changji Jinying meatball soup, Xinjiang Hotan Canteen, Syrian BRBR, Beijing fusion food Gulou Chimian, and Beijing traditional food Xilaisun.

Part 2: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying (Part 2): UAE restaurant Gulf Mandi Restaurant, Xinjiang Mansion Xihan meatball soup, Xinjiang Mansion lobby Altay afternoon tea, Muhejia revolving hot pot, Xinjiang Urumqi Nazilan (closed), Beijing pastry shop Baoyuanzhai (closed), Pakistani Samosa China-Pakistan Friendship Restaurant, Ma Ye Roast Duck (closed), Bangladeshi Benjibi Restaurant, and Huairou Shihu Cheng Resort.

Part 3: 10 new Beijing restaurants I recently tried. JM Italian Coffee Dongsi branch, halal Hunan-style stir-fry Huixiangyun (now closed) Wangjing branch, Shandong Dezhou Old Ma's lamb soup (yangtang) and steamed dumplings (zhengjiao), Sanlitun Philly cheesesteak (now closed), Pakistani Roma Restaurant (now closed), Muyuzhai garlic lamb intestines (lan suan yang chang), Inner Mongolia Lianying steamed dumplings (shaomai) Caoyuan Shiliuhong, Wangfujing Gansu spicy hot pot (malatang), and Yuezhen Yayuan halal courtyard restaurant.

Part 4: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Hotan rose pilaf (zhua fan) Yizhuang branch, Taiba Western-style bakery, Taiba South Sanlitun Road street shop, Zhaotong small meat skewers Guijie Ganmaya BBQ (now closed), Baixiaobei Heilongjiang BBQ shop, Yunnan Muwenzhai dry-pot beef, Sanlitun Xinjiang restaurant Jiangjiang, Huixiangyun halal Hunan restaurant Zuojiazhuang branch, Yili ice cream shop Bazaar Sweetheart, and Dongzhimen Inner Qianyuan Hotel. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

In the past, spring and summer were the growing seasons for sheep, so they were usually only slaughtered after autumn. Because of this, some mutton shops would switch to selling cold food during the summer. In the 1940s, Man Leting bought Japanese refrigeration equipment to sell homemade popsicles, soda, and other cold drinks, and business was booming. In 1949, mutton shipments from Inner Mongolia to Beijing were blocked, and the sheep trade hit rock bottom. Just then, Man Leiting's fellow townsman Man Kaiqi came to join him. Man Kaiqi had a background in a pastry shop, so Man Liu stopped selling lamb and switched to snacks and cold dishes, making Rongxiangcheng a famous Hui Muslim snack shop outside Chongwenmen. After the public-private partnership in 1956, Man Leiting's son Man Kaitong became the manager, and in 1958, they stopped making popsicles to focus on snacks like almond tofu (xingren doufu) and sweet rice balls (yuanxiao). In 1966, Rongxiangcheng was officially renamed Jinfang Hui Muslim Snack Shop, and in 1971, it began to focus on sweet rice balls (yuanxiao), which have drawn long lines every year around the Lantern Festival since the 1990s.



















A new shawarma rotisserie shop just opened at the north entrance of Sanlitun SOHO. We went there for dinner; one of the guys working there is from Turkmenistan and the other is from Russia, and almost all the customers were foreigners. The wraps and burgers tasted okay, though the garlic sauce was quite strong. But when we went, they were just starting to roast a new batch of beef, so the pre-sliced beef wasn't very hot. Also, the flatbread wraps they used weren't warm. Still, the vibe is just like a rotisserie shop on a Middle Eastern street; there are no seats, so you grab one to eat on the go and pretend you are in Damascus. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.







A Tianjin halal shaved ice and steamed pancake (zhengbing) shop called Guxiangzhai has opened at Hufangqiao. Since the weather is getting warmer lately, many people are coming to eat shaved ice. For my first visit, I chose the traditional-style shaved ice. It contains sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao), red hawthorn fruit, dried apricots, strawberries, mulberries, pineapple, orange, fresh apricots, and red beans. It actually has more ingredients than the truly traditional version, and it is mainly sweet and sour to whet your appetite. Sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao) is the soul of Tianjin traditional shaved ice. It is made by grinding dried wild sour jujubes into powder and boiling it with rock sugar. You can buy large blocks of sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao) at the entrance of the archway of the South Mosque (Nandasi) in the Northwest Corner. It also tastes great when mixed directly with water.

Their dinosaur egg three-apricot shaved ice is also a signature item. It contains Kashgar Hami apricots, Yengisar Saimaiti red apricots, Aksu Situan dried apricots, and secret-recipe preserved fruit made from wild hawthorn from Shanxi. It sounds very good.

They also sell various snacks. We bought a steamed pancake (zhengbing) with a red hawthorn filling, which is sweet and sour and perfect for breakfast. It is a pity that the rice cakes (gaogan) were sold out, so I bought a rice cake (migao) with a sour hawthorn paste flavor. It was a bit dry, but the taste was still good. I also bought a snack called "five blacks," which contains black rice, black beans, black mulberries, black goji berries, and black sesame seeds. It sounds very healthy. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.















On the weekend, we had dinner at Kavkaz Ruilin, a long-standing Azerbaijani restaurant on Ritan Upper Street, to enjoy some Russian and Caucasian food. This is a classic former Soviet-style restaurant in Beijing that has been open for over a decade. It mostly serves merchants from Russian-speaking regions who come to Yabaolu to source goods. Its Chinese name used to be Ruilin, but it has been changed to Ruilin.

After the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, many traders (daoye) took green-skinned trains to Beijing and headed straight to Yabaolu to stock up on goods. They brought down jackets, leather shoes, toys, and other small items back home to sell for huge profits. Yabaolu gradually grew from street stalls and tents into Beijing's largest wholesale market for Russian-speaking regions, and more former Soviet-style restaurants opened up on nearby Ritan Upper Street. Over a decade ago, Ritan Upper Street was mainly home to Central Asian and Azerbaijani restaurants, including Uzbek and Kazakh spots.

Over the last decade, Russia's economic decline, the shift of markets to places like Yiwu, Guangzhou, and Suifenhe, and the rise of cross-border e-commerce have caused trade with Russia on Yabaolu to shrink. Yitan Shangjie has gradually become a hub for Uyghur restaurants. Besides Dardanelles and Desert Rose, which focus on Turkish food, the only other Azerbaijani restaurant is Ruilin. For Central Asian food, there is the Turkmenistan restaurant Merv downstairs, which also serves Russian dishes.

At first, Ruilin had dim lighting, making it a good spot for traders to talk business, but many Chinese people were afraid to go inside. In recent years, the lighting at Ruilin has become brighter, but when we visited, there were only Russian-speaking customers, and we did not see any other Chinese people eating there.

We ordered borscht (hongcaitang), pot-stewed lamb (manguan yangrou), chive pancakes (jiucaibing), Azerbaijani pilaf (zhuafan), and grilled vegetables. Their borscht is closer to the Russian style than the one at Merv. Merv's beef soup has a stronger flavor, while their version has a more intense beet taste, which is also quite good. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

We had the pilaf (zhuafan) fresh out of the pot at seven o'clock. It was shiny and oily, though the lamb was a bit tougher compared to the skewers. Overall, it was still good. I happened to hear the table next to us complaining that their rice was undercooked. Actually, I think pilaf is only good when the rice is a bit firm. If the rice is too soft and mushy, it just becomes regular steamed rice. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

We ordered the three-person set meal, which included half a roast duck, grilled meat on a round iron plate (zhizi kaorou), stir-fried mixed vegetables (chao hecai), and duck frame tofu soup. This three-person set is a great value, and we were stuffed after finishing it. The duck tasted good, and the kids really liked it. The portion of stir-fried mixed vegetables (chao hecai) was huge, and it tasted great too.

The grilled meat on a round iron plate (zhizi kaorou) was a hit with both the Xinjiang and Hunan people at our table; the meat was tender but still had a nice chew. However, it must have been pre-marinated because it was spicy and couldn't be made mild, so the kids couldn't eat it. Duck frame soup is a must-have with roast duck; it was very savory and we couldn't stop drinking it.

Besides roast duck, they also serve traditional Hui Muslims' eight big bowls (badawan). If you are visiting Changping, you should come here to eat. They don't close in the afternoon, so it is perfect for a late meal after sightseeing.



















In the evening, we went to Shilihe to eat barbecue at Aidamu. I had heard they were very famous, but this was my first time eating there, and I was truly impressed. They have basically brought the level of a local Xinjiang night market to Beijing; eating there felt just like being back in Xinjiang.

There is a large parking lot right across from the restaurant, making it very convenient if you drive there. When we arrived at 6:30, the place was already packed, so we set up a table in the parking lot across the street. Since the temperature has risen in May, it is perfect for eating barbecue outdoors.

At their place, you grab the skewers yourself from the freezer. We had lamb liver, lamb heart, lamb skewers, and lamb chops. The lamb liver was very tender, definitely top-tier for Beijing. The lamb heart had more chew than the liver, and it was also quite good. The lamb skewers had no gamey smell at all, just the pure aroma of lamb, which is very rare in Beijing. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

This article summarizes the key points of '10 Halal Restaurants in Beijing Worth Trying (Part 9),' keeping the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles, and makes it easy to search for topics like Uyghur culture, marriage and family, and the ninth installment.

The list includes Shunhexiang Harbin-style stir-fry in Tongzhou, Fenghong Old Beijing Flavor in Changping, Aidamu Xinjiang street barbecue in Shilihe, Ruilin Azerbaijani restaurant near Ritan, Yilan Liyuan American-style burgers on Niujie, Guxiangzhai Tianjin-style shaved ice in Hufangqiao, Niujie's Big Green Bag stinky tofu, Zafran Pakistani restaurant in Xinyuanli, Jinfang Snack Bar in Dongdaqiao, and Ali & Wang's rotating kebab in Sanlitun.

I heard that the Harbin Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurant Shunhexiang opened in Beijing's Tongzhou sub-center, so I came to try it out for dinner. The restaurant is located in a new residential complex along the Grand Canal in Tongzhou. The environment is great, and the private room's turntable is button-controlled, making it easy to reach the dishes.

They specialize in Heilongjiang Hui Muslim cuisine and have also added some southern Chinese dishes to their menu. We ordered the savory sweet and sour pork (guobaorou), sauerkraut beef rib stew, colorful starch noodles (dalapi), stir-fried lily bulbs with bamboo shoots, and beef steamed dumplings (shaomai). The best of these was the steamed dumplings. The skin was thin and chewy, and the filling was fragrant and not greasy. I think they are better than the other Hui Muslim steamed dumplings currently in Beijing. The sweet and sour pork had a good texture and wasn't fried too hard. I think it's better than another Heilongjiang Hui Muslim restaurant in Beijing. The sauerkraut tasted great, but there was very little beef, and there were very few lily bulbs in the lily bulb and bamboo shoot dish. Overall, the restaurant is definitely worth a visit. The biggest problem is that it is too far from the city center, almost reaching Hebei. It is best suited for those driving there or people working in the sub-center.



















On Sunday, I was in Changping and had Beijing-style food for lunch at Fenghong Old Beijing Flavor in Xiaotangshan. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.

Part 5: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Sandyq Kazakhstan restaurant, Kashgar restaurant, Ahmed restaurant, Jingbalang Naan Bazaar, MacMac Lebanese restaurant, Humaer Xinjiang specialty food, Lao Huihui dumpling restaurant Zoo branch, Fresh Milk Town (now closed) Shuangjing branch, Nawab restaurant, and Liuji Watch Repair BBQ shop.

Part 6: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Hongyunlou Huaiyang cuisine, Sanhe beef noodles (now closed), JM Coffee and Bakery Dajixiang branch, Wanhe fatty beef, Xiangqing roast duck (now closed), Culture Pakistani restaurant, Italian Firenze Western restaurant, Niujie Dashuntang, Zhenweizhai Tianjin cuisine, and Dardanelles children's meal.

Part 7: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. JM Western restaurant Chaonei branch, Palestinian restaurant Rose City, Baoding beef soup with flatbread (niurou zhaobing), Pakistani restaurant Al Rayyan, Yili Loulan restaurant Guijie branch, Dianxinyuan Yunnan cuisine, Heilongjiang Suihua restaurant Muxiangyuan, Sanlitun Turkish restaurant, Chaoyangmen fast food stall, and Pakistani buffet Habibi.

Part 8: 10 halal restaurants in Beijing worth trying. Xinjiang Hui Muslim home-style cooking Yige Huangluobo, Liaoning Hui Muslim spicy hot pot (malatang), Hebei Daming Hui Muslim meat pie (roubing) Yimian Liaoyuan (now closed), Hebei Chengde Hui Muslim steamed dumplings (shaomai) Dongtucheng branch, Xilaishun Xisi branch, Longfusi market, Heilongjiang Suihua Hui Muslim Mashi Muxiangyuan Baizhifang branch, Turpan Uyghur restaurant Tianshan, Niujie cafe Sanwanghu, and Heilongjiang Hui Muslim iron pot stew (tieguo dun). view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This guide to the best halal restaurants in Beijing keeps the original list of local Muslim food spots, Hui Muslim food, and practical halal dining details.



















Across from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences on Niujie Street, the roast lamb leg shop with the big green sign sells stinky tofu with sauce. The sauce is made from beef bone broth (niubanggu aotang), and it really has a meaty flavor. I remember eating fried stinky tofu topped with fermented bean curd sauce from a cart run by local Hui Muslims on Binjiang Road in Tianjin. That flavor was truly satisfying.









A new alcohol-free Pakistani restaurant called Zafran just opened in Jiayi Plaza near Liangmaqiao. It is very close to the Liangma River, and since it only opened a few days ago, I came specifically to try it.

I looked at the menu and was surprised to find many Afghan Pashtun dishes. I asked the server, and he is a Pashtun from Peshawar. I decided to order a few Pashtun dishes to try, as some of them cannot be found in other Pakistani restaurants.

First, I must praise their excellent service. The Pashtun waiter, Anas Khan, always greeted us with a smile and even did a fist bump with my son, Suleiman. As soon as we sat down, they brought us black tea, lemon water, and fried dough twists (mayezi). Later, they served a special dried fruit milkshake with walnuts and almonds. Finally, they gave Suleiman a small cup of thin yogurt drink (lassi) and a piece of baklava, which made him very happy.

The atmosphere is also very nice, with curtained sofa areas on one side that are perfect for families. There are no large private rooms, but if you have a big group, you can push tables together in the main dining area. There is also outdoor seating at the entrance, which is great for having desserts and drinks in the summer.

We ordered Afghan pilaf, Peshawar-style lamb, and Kandahar naan. You can tell these are Pashtun specialties just by their names. We also ordered a Caesar salad, french fries, and salty yogurt drink (lassi). Since they just opened, they gave us a 30% discount, which was a great deal.

Afghan pilaf originated in the border region between northern Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. It is known as Qabili Palaw in Afghanistan and later spread from there to West Asia, Central Asia, and Pakistan. Afghan pilaf (pulao) differs from Xinjiang pilaf because it uses long-grain aromatic rice from South Asia and a bit of saffron for color. It is cooked with ghee and vegetable oil, and the carrots are sliced thinly. It also includes cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, giving it a stronger spice flavor than Xinjiang pilaf. Their Afghan pilaf includes fresh almonds and raisins, but the meat is a bit tough and hard for children to chew. The spice flavor is very rich.

This was my first time eating Peshawar Shinwari lamb, and I highly recommend it! The lamb is very tender and the seasoning is excellent. Peshawar Shinwari lamb is cooked in a metal wok called a karahi. It is a classic main dish for the Pashtun people in northern Pakistan, especially prepared after the animal sacrifice during Eid al-Adha. It is made with fresh bone-in lamb, salt, garlic, and green chilies, without the heavy spices found in southern Pakistan.

Their Kandahar flatbread (nan) is also amazing and pairs perfectly with the Peshawar lamb. Kandahar flatbread is also popular in Pakistan. It is very fluffy because milk and sugar are added to the dough, making it more fragrant.

I also recommend their yogurt drink (lassi). It is not too sour, but it is very appetizing. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide covers Guyuan stewed snacks, Tianjin tea soup, Nanjing chicken soup, halal food in China, and food festival details.

This article summarizes the key points of the Beijing Exhibition Center International Food Fair, covering Guyuan stewed snacks (huixiaochi), Tianjin tea soup (chatang), and Nanjing chicken soup. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for content related to Uyghur culture, Guyuan stewed snacks, and Tianjin tea soup.

Summer is here, and there are more and more food streets in Beijing, with several popping up every weekend.

I went to the Beijing Exhibition Center International Food Fair at night. There was so much good food that I could eat specialties from Ningxia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Beijing, Tianjin, and Nanjing. I was stuffed by the end of the night. The food festival runs until Sunday and is well worth a visit.



As soon as you enter the west entrance, you see the Ningxia stalls. From inside to outside, there is Yuanzhou Impression Guyuan Taste from Moshikou Street in Shijingshan, Baicao Tan Lamb from Lianhua Bridge, Jingyu Yanyu from Guomao, and the Ningxia Building from Andingmen.





I did not expect to find Guyuan food here! We tried the Guyuan specialty stewed snacks (huixiaochi), which is one of the ten classic bowls of the Hui Muslims in Guyuan. This is similar to the noodle soup (fentang) of Northwest China, which is usually cooked in a big pot during dry, cold weather and eaten with fried dough (youxiang).

The core of Guyuan stewed snacks is egg-stuffed meat slices (jiaban), meatballs, and mung bean jelly (liangfen), all stewed together with a rich, fresh broth and vegetables. However, this stall did not have meatballs; they used egg-stuffed meat slices and meat slices instead. Egg-stuffed meat slices are made by mixing eggs, starch, and flour into a batter, spreading it thin, sandwiching it with lamb filling, steaming it, and cutting it into diamond-shaped pieces. They are soft and chewy with a meaty aroma, and you can add side dishes like wood ear mushrooms, vermicelli, tofu, and spinach.







I then bought some hand-grabbed meat (shouzhuarou) and served it with chive flower sauce, onions, and sweet garlic. It tasted pretty good.



After eating, I bought some fermented oat drink (tianbeizi) and homemade xylitol yogurt at a stall in the Ningxia Building. Drinking tianbeizi in the summer is very refreshing.







I was pleasantly surprised to find two Hui Muslim snack stalls from Tianjin at this Beijing International Food Festival held at the Beijing Exhibition Center: Yuansuzhai Old-Style Fried Rolls (juanquan) from Honghuli and Chatang Hui from the Northwest Corner.

Yuansuzhai sells old-style fried rolls, curry chicken rolls, and peppercorn duck rolls, all served with homemade dark plum juice (wumeitang). The old-style fried rolls are vegetarian and filled with bean sprouts. The curry chicken roll skin is thicker and crispier, tasting a bit like a South Asian samosa. Traditionally, these rolls should be wrapped in a large flatbread (dabing), but they provided small thin pancakes instead so festival guests could try more varieties. I thought that was a great idea. I really love their homemade dark plum juice. I bought some when I visited Honghuli last time. It contains mulberries, osmanthus, roselle, dried tangerine peel, hawthorn, dark plum, licorice, and mint. It is very cooling and quenches thirst.

Yuansuzhai has a hundred-year history and has been passed down through four generations. They started selling fried rolls at a stall in North Zhulin near the Sancha River estuary in the 1920s. North Zhulin was originally a low-lying river beach along the Ziya River. It became solid land in the late Qing Dynasty. By the late Qing and Republican eras, it became a settlement for fishermen, boatmen, and dock workers living in makeshift shelters. Many Hui Muslim snack stalls gathered there, selling items like fried rolls, savory crepe strips (guobacai), and fried cakes (zhagao). The Tongyizhuang Mosque in North Zhulin was built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. It is 150 years old and is the only historical building preserved after the North Zhulin area was demolished.

In the late 1980s, Tianjin began large-scale urban renewal. Old districts like North Zhulin, Tongyizhuang, Xiyuzhuang, Hebei Street, and Beidaguan were demolished, and residents were relocated to Jiayuanli in the Beichen District. In the early 1990s, Yuansuzhai moved to the Jiayuanli commercial street along with the demolition of Beizhulin, becoming a landmark snack spot in Jiayuanli. The Jiayuanli shop closed in 2017, and the fourth-generation owner moved Yuansuzhai again to the Honghuli food street on Honghu South Road, starting with a breakfast cart before opening a formal storefront.













Chatang Hui is an old shop at the entrance of the South Mosque (Nandasi) in the Northwest Corner of Tianjin, with a century of history and four generations of heritage. Chatang (tea soup) first came to Tianjin via the Grand Canal. It was originally made with broomcorn millet flour, but later red sorghum flour was added, giving it a unique red color. Making chatang requires a large dragon-spout copper pot and the 'phoenix three nods' technique, a smooth motion that ensures not a drop spills when pouring. Traditional toppings include brown sugar, white sugar, sesame, crushed peanuts, raisins, and candied fruit shreds (qinghongsi), making it sweet and tangy.







At the Beijing International Food Festival, the Xinjiang stall featuring big plate chicken (dapanji), pilaf (zhuafan), and lamb skewers (yangrouchuan) from the Xinjiang Building is very popular.







Before leaving, I was surprised to find a stall for the old Nanjing halal brand, Lvliuju! They sell various traditional Nanjing snacks, honey lotus root (mizhi ou), green sticky rice balls (qingtuan), water chestnut cake (mati gao), as well as hot osmanthus sugar taro seedlings (guihua tang yumiao) and chicken broth tofu (jizhi huilu gan). Even though we were full, we ordered a bowl of chicken broth tofu. The bean curd soaked in chicken broth was incredibly fresh, and the broth with bean sprouts and wood ear mushrooms was delicious. Chicken broth tofu gets its name because the fried tofu puffs are repeatedly simmered in broth. To make it, the chicken broth must be simmered for six hours and cooked with bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and winter bamboo shoots, making the tofu soft and full of chicken flavor.

Lvliuju was founded in 1912 at Taoye Ferry along the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. It was named Lvliuju because of the shady green willow trees along the riverbank. Lvliuju started as a high-end vegetarian restaurant. Famous figures like Kong Xiangxi, Chiang Ching-kuo, Bai Chongxi, and the Soong sisters often dined here. After 1949, Lvliuju closed for a period. It reopened in 1963 on Yanggongjing, Taiping South Road, where they hired the famous chef Chen Bingyu to continue serving authentic vegetarian dishes. A major specialty of Lvliuju is vegetarian dishes that taste like meat. Their vegetarian chicken and vegetarian duck, made from tofu skin, gluten, and dried bean curd sticks seasoned with traditional Chinese herbs, are delicious. In 1987, Lvliuju added halal dishes to its vegetarian menu and became a halal restaurant. It still keeps vegetarian food as its specialty and is now recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Best Halal Food in Beijing: Muslim-Friendly Restaurants and Hui Muslim Street Food Map (Issue 57) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:

1. Wanhe Beef

2. Manpengxuan

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot

4. Xiting Xiuse, Xiangyun Town Branch

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers

7. Laikebi Happy Pizza

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant

1. Wanhe Halal Beef



This beef hot pot restaurant is on Longfusi Food Street. They use beef from Zhangye, Gansu. The shop is 2,000 square meters, has many private rooms, and offers good service. They mainly sell beef.



The beef set meal I bought online was only 200 yuan. Two people couldn't even finish it. The meat quality is really good.



This is the sea cucumber (liaoshen) included in the set, along with plenty of vegetables and noodles as the staple food.





You can choose a single-person small pot to try different soup bases. I like this pickled cabbage (suancai) soup base. You can mix your own dipping sauce. I like to make mine with a spicy and sour Yunnan flavor.



Address: 3rd Floor, Building A, Nanfang, No. 1 Longfusi Qianjie, Dongcheng District.

2. Manpengxuan



This is a new high-end halal restaurant under the Nanmen Shuanrou brand, located on the 4th floor of the North Area of the China World Mall.



The authentic Nanmen Shuanrou brand is the one at the Temple of Heaven; all other Nanmen restaurants are just copycats trying to ride on their popularity. There is also a Nanmen Xiaoguan in the China World Mall, which is another brand under Nanmen that serves Beijing-style stir-fry at affordable prices.



The restaurant has a beautiful layout and a spacious interior, making Manpengxuan a great choice for business dinners.



Remember to park in the North Area and take the North 2 elevator to the 4th floor, or you might get lost.



They serve complimentary pickled vegetables before the meal, and they all taste quite good.



When the server talked about the chef's knife skills, they mentioned a dish called celery with phoenix tail in sauce (laozhi fengwei xiqin). I was curious, so I ordered it. The celery arrived without the sauce poured over it; it looked beautiful and tasted very crisp and tender.



They serve fusion cuisine, mainly Beijing and Cantonese dishes. I specifically chose a Cantonese dish called lotus leaf and dried tangerine peel Zhanjiang chicken (hexiang chenpi zhanjiang ji), which comes with the chicken already deboned.



This dish is called dried scallop and shrimp with fresh bean curd skin and apple loofah (yaozhu xiagan xianfuzhu zhu pingguo sigua). The name lists all the ingredients. It is very light, the server helped us portion it out, and you can even get refills on the soup.



I ordered the crispy skin roast chicken. I originally wanted the crispy squab, but a large group had already finished all of them that day. The skin on this roast chicken was just as crispy.



For the threadfin salted fish and eggplant claypot (mayou xianyu qiezi bao), the salted fish was indeed a bit salty.



The appetizing kale and bamboo shoots (kaiwei jielan sun) is a savory dish. The kale was cut into a shape that made it hard to pick up with chopsticks, but the server was very thoughtful and said they would improve the presentation.



The manager gave us some complimentary Beijing-style desserts, including pea flour cake (wandou gao) and aiwowo (steamed rice flour cakes with sweet filling). They were small and bite-sized.

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot



A new skewer hot pot restaurant serving Guizhou sour soup has opened near the residential area of Daxing Airport.



The warm reminder at the entrance shows the owner is very thoughtful. While waiting for a table, I chatted with the owner and learned he is from Chengdu.



Skewers are 0.8 yuan each. After eating, they count the sticks to settle the bill. You can buy a group-buying set, and the average cost per person is under 70 yuan.



You still have to wait in line on weekend nights. The place is small, with fewer than ten tables inside.



Although the owner recommended the spicy clear oil hot pot, I specifically chose the Guizhou sour soup hot pot.



They have a huge variety of skewers, and they are already seasoned, so they taste great even without dipping sauce.



Address: 2nd Floor, Building 1, Kangtai Street, Yufa Town, Daxing District.

4. Xiting Xiuse (Xiangyun Town Branch).



The Xiting Xiuse branch in Shunyi's Xiangyun Town is their largest and most luxurious store in Beijing.



The restaurant has two floors, and there is an open-air garden at the entrance on the first floor. It is very pleasant to sit in the courtyard during the summer.



The second floor has several private rooms, each with a different style, and there is even a dedicated room for smoking cigars.



The large private rooms can hold thirty to forty people, making them perfect for parties and birthday banquets.



It is also a great experience to stop by for coffee and afternoon tea. This is one of the more authentic Turkish restaurants, and the colors of their dishes are a feast for the eyes.



Address: Shop 107, Building 11, North District, COFCO Xiangyun Town, Antai Street, Shunyi District.

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak



A newly opened Pakistani steakhouse in Shunyi. Their signature dish is grilled steak, and they also sell burgers and fried chicken.



The small shop has two floors. The newly renovated environment is very clean, and the service is quite warm.



I found a portrait of a pharaoh hanging in the bathroom, which carries a bit of metaphor for our Pakistani friends.



This is French-style fried chicken with a sweet and salty flavor, but I still prefer salty fried chicken.



The burger is also quite ordinary; this place's burger is not as good as the ones on Niujie.



However, their steak tastes good. Because the price is cheap, it feels quite a bargain to get this quality of steak. The waiter asked how I wanted it cooked, and I like it medium-well. I suggest you only eat the steak when you come here.

Address: Yixin Jiayuan, Shengli Subdistrict, Shunyi District.

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers



The Yilan Liyuan Beef and Mutton Shop on Niujie added a new window to sell handmade burgers. The owner's son returned from studying in the United States and wanted to bring authentic American burgers to Beijing using their own beef.





This is the handsome guy, cooking in person with the meat patties fried on the spot. They currently only have two types of burgers, divided into single and double layers. The young man's skills are good. The shape and style of this burger are basically the same as what I ate in the United States, even the wrapping paper is the same.



7. Laikebi Happy Pizza



Laikebi is an old shop that has reopened. I ate at their shop near the China University of Political Science and Law before 2018. At that time, the owner was still single and from Yunnan. This year, the owner reopened the shop and married a Uyghur wife. We happened to run into them when we arrived at the shop.



It is a pity that this shop will close at the end of the month. International students used to visit often, but now there are far fewer students in the area, making it hard to keep the business going.



Their dishes offer great value for money. I was deeply impressed when I visited in 2018. We had four people this time and ordered a four-person set meal for only 200 yuan. We actually couldn't finish it because it was just too affordable.



Their pizza and grilled meat rice are both delicious. They are excellent among halal Western-style fast food in Beijing.



I don't know if there will be another chance to eat at such an affordable Western restaurant in the future. I hope the owner can get back on his feet.









Maybe when you see this message, the shop will already be closed, so let's just leave this as a memory.

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant



A new halal farmhouse inn has opened in Huairou. There are now at least three halal homestays in the area, and this one is not far from the Mutianyu Great Wall.



The setting here is quite nice, with a small bridge and flowing water at the entrance.



We booked our meal in advance. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Tongzhou and is a great cook.





Since we had children with us, I specifically asked the owner to use less salt and keep the flavors light. Otherwise, following the traditional taste of Tongzhou Hui Muslims, the dishes would definitely be salty.



The food here is generally home-style. I suggest sticking to traditional Beijing dishes to be safe and avoid disappointment. Don't order the Sichuan dishes; after all, a chef is always more comfortable cooking the food from their own hometown.











When you come to Huairou, you must eat the grilled rainbow trout (hongzunyu). Rainbow trout is a cold-water fish with tender meat and few bones.





The spicy chicken (lazi ji) in the photo above and the boiled beef (shuizhu niurou) in the photo below are not recommended as they are not the chef's specialty. Everything else is fine. There were 10 of us, and it cost 50 per person.







Address: Lianhuachi Village, Yanqi Town, Huairou District.

End of article.

— Author: Yahya —

Author of the bestseller 'Guide to Avoiding Insurance Pitfalls'.

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) member.

IMA International Insurance Expert.

Scan the QR code below to add the author on WeChat.



Previous posts:

To find other halal food in Beijing, please check the links to previous posts. Closed restaurants are noted. The content is as follows:

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 1) (Note: Baodu Wai is closed, Yangji Beef Pie is closed, Halal Spicy Hot Pot is closed, Yuanxie Shuanrou Restaurant is closed, Dafengshou Fish Restaurant is closed, Hongliushu Roasted Lamb Scorpion is closed, Weidao Xinjiang Restaurant is closed, Shashi Castle Restaurant is closed, Badang Restaurant is closed, Bakeli Caspian Western Restaurant is closed, Sukhothai Thai-Malaysian Restaurant is closed, Cheese Molecule Pizza is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 2) (Note: 1001 Nights Blue Harbor branch is closed, Haitian Yise Chinese Restaurant is closed, Changying Seafood BBQ is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 3) (Note: Changji Zhizi BBQ is closed, Yiding Shandouji Private Kitchen is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 4) (Note: Features soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and Yunnan cuisine. Xuezhan Big Plate Chicken is closed, Islam Lan Hot Pot is closed, Xingyuege Muslim Restaurant is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 5) (Note: Features Yunnan cuisine and Shanxian lamb soup (yangtang))

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 6) (Note: Features Chongqing hot pot. Moroccan Restaurant is closed, Yijinglan Restaurant is closed, Weidao Seafood Restaurant is closed, Lao Ma Lamb Scorpion Potstickers has been renamed Xiaohailuo Seafood BBQ);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 7) (Note: Features Turkish kebab. Chinese tea house is closed, Yijinyuan is closed, Laoduiyuan is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 8) (Features soup dumplings (guantangbao). Fangchengshun Shuanrou is closed, Father's New Style Western Region Cuisine is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 9) (Note: Features ox head feast. Qinghai Hot Pot is closed, Halimei Kitchen is closed, Meisi Coffee is closed, Yilaobaiwei Dipping Sauce Hot Pot has been renamed Huaxiding New Style Halal Hot Pot);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 10) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup, Western fast food, pita bread soaked in soup (paomo), octopus balls (takoyaki), and Yunnan cuisine);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 11) (Note: Features Sichuan-style hot pot, spicy dry pot (mala xiangguo), seafood buffet, and Henan pan-fried buns (shuijianbao));

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 12) (Note: Features Henan braised noodles (huimian) and spicy soup (hulatang). Erjie Diguo Stew is closed, HI HELLO Western-style iron plate rice is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 13) (Note: Features Huaiyang cuisine and Jingdong meat pie);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 14) (Note: Features beef tendon hot pot and Palestinian restaurant. Japanese restaurant Hecai Shidang is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (15) (Note: Features Hohhot halal cuisine and Indian-Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (16) (Note: Features Xiaolou Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (17) (Note: Manshuo Eel Rice is closed; Lao Yinchuan is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (18) (Note: Features Tanli broth lamb hot pot; Xu Yiwan Braised Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (19) (Note: Rumi's Secret is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (20) (Note: Ji'anzhai Crab Roe Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (21) (Note: Features Samarkand (Hamai'erhan))

Beijing Halal Food Map (22) (Note: Features Xunji and Lanjiushiqi)

Beijing Halal Food Map (23) (Note: Features Turkish Qubbe Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (24) (Note: Features Niububi; Longxianghui is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (25) (Note: Anhui board noodles and crayfish are closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (26) (Note: Chongqing chicken pot is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (27) (Note: Features Syrian Cafe)

Beijing Halal Food Map (28) (Note: Features Qiqihar barbecue)

Beijing Halal Food Map (29) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup and Henan spicy soup; Chongqing hot pot restaurant is)

Beijing Halal Food Map (30) (Note: Featuring Ma Family steamed dumplings (shaomai), Taiba Shawarma, and Jinyunxuan Lanzhou beef noodles)

Beijing Halal Food Map (31) (Note: Featuring Lianghuo Lanzhou twisted fried dough barbecue (fanhua shaokao) and Henan Xiefeng steamed bun shop)

Beijing Halal Food Map (32) (Note: Featuring Mulu Malaysian Restaurant and Hongxiaolu Chongqing hot pot)

Beijing Halal Food Map (33) (Note: Featuring Chicken Tender Master (Jiliu Daren) and Jingyi Farmhouse)

Beijing Halal Food Map (34) (Note: Featuring Yuejing Japanese buffet and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Ethnic Restaurant snail rice noodles (luosifen))

Beijing Halal Food Map (35)

(Note: Featuring Xunji Qingnian Road Courtyard)

Beijing Halal Food Map (36) (Note: Featuring Samosa Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (37) (Note: Featuring Shixiang Japanese barbecue buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 38) (Note: Featuring Achuiji Stinky Fried Skewers)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 39)

Beijing Halal Food Map (40)

Summary of specialty halal restaurants in Beijing by district

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 41)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 42)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 43)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 44)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 45)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 46)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 47)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 48)

2024 Must-Eat Beijing Style Halal Restaurants List

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 49)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 50)

Beijing Halal Food Map (51)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 52)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 53)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 54)

Beijing Halal Food Map (55)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 56) view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food map issue 56 starts after the author's return to Beijing and covers newly tried halal restaurants, including courtyard dining, Tianjin food, Daxing countryside food, Suzhou-style noodles, buffalo fish, Northwest dishes, snacks, and Xinjiang yogurt shaved ice.

After returning to Beijing, I can start my shop-exploring trip again. Nothing is as good as my hometown. In terms of the richness of halal food, no one in the world can compare with my Beijing!

The halal restaurants introduced in this issue are as follows:

1. Jiaqing Courtyard

2. Jinmanlou Tianjin cuisine

3. Dong Ge Shan Yuan B&B

4. Chai’s Fuhai Halal Dishes

5. Niujie Sanwang Lake Cafe

6. Guxiangzhai Tianjin shaved ice

7. Ma’s Muxiangyuan Northeastern Cuisine

8. 024 Hai Xian Music Western Restaurant

9. Jinmen Zhenweizhai

10. LIQA Turkish Restaurant

11. Xinjiang home cooking with a yellow radish

12. Decheng Li Qingzhen Shaomai Restaurant

13. Cinnara Sri Lankan restaurant

14. Bazaar Sweetheart Yili Shaved Ice

1. Jiaqing Courtyard



There is a newly opened Jiaqing courtyard in the Fayuansi neighborhood of Niujie Street. The owner is named Jiaqing, a native of Beijing, hence the name.



His restaurant is a Beijing restaurant, specializing in barbecue, shabu-shabu, Beijing-style home cooking and various traditional snacks.



The yard is not big. You can sit in the yard, enter the house, and go up to the room. There is a terrace.



Their family also has hot rice, which is the leftovers from the past cooked in one pot. Sometimes hot rice with leftovers tastes better than new dishes, and their hot rice is slightly salty.



The skewers taste great, with moderate texture and taste. It’s a great place to have skewers in summer. There is a takeout window outside the yard, selling various Beijing-style snacks, including bean juice.



2. Jinmanlou Tianjin cuisine



Three halal Tianjin restaurants have opened in Beijing, and the highlight of this restaurant is their sea sausage rice.



Sea sausage rice is a specialty of Jiaodong. I have only eaten it in Qingdao. This is the first time I have eaten sea sausage rice in Beijing.



Bazhen Tofu is a famous dish in Tianjin. Bazhen is not necessarily a fixed eight ingredients. Squid tentacles, crab sticks, scallops, and shrimps are more common. The portion is large and filling. This plate is very large, and one plate is enough for three people.



Jinwei stir-fried vegetables is also one of Tianjin's home-cooked dishes. This dish is not salty.



The homemade desserts in the store taste like pudding.

3. Dong Ge Shan Yuan



This is a halal B&B halfway up the mountain in Shengshuiyu Village, Fangshan. Driving up the mountain, the road conditions are not very good.



There are free-range chickens and pigeons in the yard, surrounded by mountains, and the scenery is pleasant.



The boss is a Hui from Haidian. Meals need to be booked in advance. There are grilled lamb chops and various farm-style stir-fries. The average per capita is less than 100.



There are guest rooms available for accommodation, standard rooms cost 380 per night, and the rooms are quite clean.



There is a swing in the yard and a vegetable garden behind it.



There are also pigeons in the small courtyard, but they are not used for eating.



Today's main course, grilled lamb chops, costs 88 per pound.



Stir-fried beef with garlic sprouts, one of the classic home-cooked dishes.



You can choose small or large portions for stewed chicken. This is a large portion and tastes great.



The toon buds were served with eggs. I watched them pick the toon buds freshly from the trees.

4. Chai’s Hock Hai Halal Cuisine



Chai started his business by making beef noodles, but now he has opened a high-end Beijing-style restaurant in Qianmen.



The store's main specialty is roast duck, and you can order half of it.



The chef will fillet the duck in front of the guests.



The pancakes for the roast duck can be refilled for free, and the dipping plate has several more options, but I am still used to just putting shredded green onions and cucumbers, and then dipping them with a little sweet noodle sauce.





A platter of Beijing-style snacks, including pea yellow, donkey rolling, kidney bean rolls and ai wowo.



Dry-fried hairtail, the fish bones are crispy and can be eaten directly. This is a cold dish.



I think their most classic dish is noodles. The noodles with soybean paste are delicious. They have eight kinds of dishes and are hand-rolled.

5. Niujie Sanwanghu Coffee



Sanwanghu Coffee is a chain store, but only the Niujie store has received halal certification.



In recent years, many cafes have opened around Niujie, and they are basically full during the day. Only this shop is relatively empty, so I brought my friends here for a chat, just to have some peace and quiet.



It used to only serve drinks, but recently it has added light meals such as burgers and sandwiches.



The American-style hamburger and fries set meal costs 83 yuan per serving, which is a little expensive.



The burger is quite delicious. The bun is soft and big. You will be full after eating one.



There is a terrace on the second floor of his house with a nice view. If the taste of the drinks is improved, the popularity will be even greater.

6. Guxiangzhai



Guxiangzhai is a Tianjin shaved ice dessert shop that has opened a new flagship store in Hufangqiao.



The old-fashioned tables, chairs and benches are still used in the store.



The store is quite spacious, with shaved ice on the left and Tianjin pastries on the right.



Here you can eat Tianjin’s special cakes, steamed cakes, and twists.





There are so many types of shaved ice and soft ice, and the portions are quite large, so it’s almost the same for two people.



This is taro ice cream with red beans on top.



The steamed cakes are large and look like steamed buns with various fillings inside. The most popular ones are chocolate and durian fillings.

7. Ma’s Muxiang Garden



Ma's Muxiangyuan is a newly opened Northeastern restaurant. It currently has two restaurants, this one is outside Guang'anmen.



They serve a variety of Northeastern home-cooked dishes and hot-pot meat, with Northeastern cuisine being the highlight.



Stir-fried beef and pickled cabbage noodles are a side dish, and their dishes are quite large.



The sweet Guobao Pork is delicious and has a similar texture to what you get in the Northeast.



The lamb liver is delicious. It has no peculiar smell at all, is not fishy or smelly, and the ingredients are fresh.



Dry-roasted sea bass, this fish is particularly delicious and the fish meat is delicious.



The meat slices taste authentic. There is a bit too much onion, which is not necessary. It is a bit overpriced. It should be all meat. The unit price can be adjusted.



Their rice is worthy of praise. It is Northeastern rice, with clear grains and fragrant aroma.

8. #024 Sea String



Hai Xian is a music-themed restaurant. Cui Jian, the godfather of rock music, is one of the shareholders. It specializes in Italian and Lebanese food, both of which belong to the Mediterranean cuisine.



The meat used in this restaurant is Uruguayan halal meat, and the chef is Lebanese. He is also the chef of Sumak Lebanese restaurant. Because there are many embassies of Middle Eastern countries around Sanlitun, where Haixian is located, a team of Lebanese chefs were invited to take care of it.



We chose this place for this group building mainly because we wanted to eat Italian food.



The complimentary bread before the meal can be paired with tapenade.



Lemon mint drink is very pure and has a sour taste, suitable for appetizing.



The setting of the restaurant is carefully designed with Mediterranean blue as the main color.



Hummus sauce platter, this is a classic Lebanese appetizer.



This kind of Arabic pancake is eaten with hummus sauce.



Next are all Italian-style dishes. This one is called porcini risotto, which is like eating Spanish paella. The Italian rice grains they use are larger and have a harder texture.



This one is called a low-carb North African egg, and it contains oriental braised eggs, assorted bell peppers and tomatoes.



Sliced ​​raw marinated Uruguayan beef tenderloin with arugula and Parmesan. The beef underneath is raw. This ingredient is delicious.



Neapolitan style salted fish pizza, a friendly reminder, the salted fish is very salty.



Wagyu beef spinach pasta, this wagyu beef has large particles and good taste, suitable for children.



This is a blue cheese pizza. The blue cheese smells very strong, and most people may not be able to accept it.



Their desserts are highly recommended. The Levant milk rice pudding pictured above is sweet and very delicious. The picture below is a combination of ashtazo, avocado, banana and nuts, which is also very delicious.



9. Jinmen Zhenweizhai



The stir-fry restaurant in the northwest corner of Tianjin has opened in Jiaomen, Beijing. I think this restaurant is the best among the three Tianjin stir-fry restaurants in Beijing.



Tianjin cuisine is characterized by large portions, salty taste, and heavier saltiness, but this restaurant is a bit lighter.



Braised beef ribs, one of the signature dishes, the beef bones are soft and tender.



Bazhen Tofu, the ingredients of Bazhen Tofu in each store are different, but they are mainly seafood.



There are three popular dishes in Tianjin: mutton kidney, mutton liver and mutton tenderloin. The portion of Tianjin food is so big that one plate is enough for two people.

10. LIQA Li Ka



The Turkish restaurant on the first floor of the Rosewood Hotel has a chef transferred from the Rosewood Hotel in Turkey.



The store manager and chef are both Turkish, and there is no halal label in the store. The two Turks told me about Selan, which means it is halal.



Rosewood Hotel is a top luxury hotel, so the unit price per customer is slightly higher, about 300 per person.



The snacks provided before the meal have a crispy texture.



Turkish bread with hummus.



Hummus is a starter, drizzled with olive oil.



The tabouli salad is innovative with the addition of squid tentacles and sliced ​​mango.



Mixed barbecue, with beef and mutton inside, and a piece of bread underneath. I eat this dish often, and my children also like it.

11. A yellow radish



The name of the store is a yellow radish, and the color of the restaurant is also yellow. This is a Xinjiang family restaurant.



Not long after it opened, it became a place for internet celebrities to check in, and there were many beautiful young men and women who came to eat.



There was a yellow radish hanging at the door. I asked the clerk and he found that the yellow radish would be replaced with new ones every day.



The owner's mother is a Muslim from Urumqi and is very good at cooking. This store restores the taste of her home.



This carrot juice is the store's signature drink. It tastes sour and sweet, as if it has added tomato juice.



The shop’s signature dish is meatball soup, and its taste is on the lighter side, making it more suitable for young people.



If you eat meatball soup, you will be given oil tart. Unfortunately, each bowl only comes with one and cannot be ordered a la carte.



The flavor of the peppercorn chicken is stronger, much heavier than the meatball soup.



The stir-fried lamb with celery is delicious and the lamb is tender. The taste of this dish is very similar to the stir-fried yellow beef of Hunan cuisine, and it goes well with rice.



Fried Xinjiang noble pumpkin, the pumpkin has a smooth and slightly sweet taste.



Glutinous rice pearl meatballs with Xinjiang spicy skin. These meatballs are filled with meat fillings, which are salty and delicious.



12. Decheng Li Qingzhen Shaomai Restaurant



The newly opened Chengde chain restaurant specializes in Chengde specialities, including Shaomai and traditional eight bowls



His family also has a store in Dongtucheng, this one in Fengtai.



The food of Chengde people is similar to that of Beijing, and their accent is also very similar to Beijing.



Beef offal soup tastes average and a bit fishy.



The filling of the shaomai is firm, but the seasoning is too heavy, but I still prefer the shaomai from Hohhot.

13. Cinnara Sri Lankan Restaurant



The first halal Sri Lankan restaurant in Beijing is opened in Sanlitun SOHO.



Sri Lankan cuisine has its own unique flavoring, like a fusion of Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisines.



The store is not big, but the setting is exquisite, clean and bright.



The complimentary biscuits are suitable for eating with Ceylon black tea.



The shop assistants here are all dark-skinned Sri Lankans.



Their dishes are more refined and their drinks are delicious.



Colombo Choupas Fried Rice



Sambora coconut



Spicy fried squid



Garlic Butter Prawns



Coconut Ceylon Pancakes

14. Bazaar Sweetheart



A newly opened Xinjiang shaved ice shop in the 798 Art District is owned by a Kazakh girl.



The color is Ili blue. You know without asking that the Kazakh girl is from Ili.



There are Yili-specific yogurt rice dumplings, yogurt shaved ice, naan coffee and Yili handmade ice cream.





The original flavor of yogurt shaved ice is delicious. There are no ingredients added to the original flavor. People who like sweet food can sprinkle dried red dates, raisins, chocolate chips, honey, etc. on top.



There are big blueberries on top of the cake. The taste and environment of this store are very exciting. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide maps issue 40 of the series, featuring a Ghanaian halal restaurant in Sanlitun, Stone Hearth Grill and Tea, Arabic food, tomato beef flatbread, luosifen hot pot, sturgeon feast, and Saddam Lanzhou Beef Noodles.

Beijing Halal Food Map (40) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ramadan has just ended, so we can get back to checking out all kinds of halal food. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ramadan has just ended, so we can get back to checking out all kinds of halal food. The restaurants in this guide are all new, and they each have something special. The first one is a West African Ghanaian halal restaurant, which is very rare in China. It is a big step for Beijing as it works to become a global capital for halal food.

Here is the list of halal restaurants for this guide:

1. Tribe Garden African Restaurant

2. Stone Hearth Grill and Tea (Shishangweilu)

3. Ma Bei'er Bistro

4. Carthage Arabic Restaurant

5. Fan Manyu Tomato Beef Flatbread (Paobing)

6. Stinky Star Snail Rice Noodle (Luosifen) Hot Pot

7. Mulaixuan Sturgeon Feast

8. Saddam Lanzhou Beef Noodles

1. Tribe Garden African Restaurant



A new halal restaurant featuring West African flavors recently opened on the first basement level of Sanlitun SOHO. They specialize in Ghanaian cuisine. The staff are all Black Muslims who speak fluent Chinese, and one young lady from Kenya is especially cute.



Ghana is a country in West Africa where about 15% of the population is Muslim, yet the national banknote features a mosque with a unique style.



Larabanga Mosque

The Larabanga Mosque on the banknote was built between the 14th and 15th centuries. It is the oldest mosque in Ghana. Its architectural style is unique to West Africa, built from yellow mud and wood, making it very iconic.



The restaurant decor also has a strong African vibe, including the wall hangings.







African goat meat mixed rice

African goat meat is a bit tough, but it has no gamey smell. The mixed rice is salty and spicy.



Non-alcoholic mojito and fruit punch



African specialty egusi (egusi)

You eat this dish mixed with the cassava flour paste shown below. Eating the cassava flour paste is just like eating rice cake.





Fufu (fufu)

The white dish is called fufu, which translates to rice flour paste in Chinese. It is a staple food for Ghanaians.



Friday special dish

They have a special dish every day. This Friday special is made with beans and rice, served with some noodles and dipping sauce. It tastes sour, salty, and spicy all at once.



Grilled tilapia

This is an African-style grilled fish. It tastes great. Even though the skin looks charred, the meat inside is white.



A young lady from Kenya recommended this milkshake to us. It is very creamy and delicious. The whole meal cost 530 yuan for four people, which is 130 yuan per person.

2. Stone Hearth Grill and Tea (Shishangweilu)



This is a newly opened light meal and coffee shop on the ground floor of the West District of Changying Paradise Walk. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Beijing, and we chose to have a small gathering here for Eid al-Fitr.



Thirty of us ate every single item on the menu twice.



They serve light meals during the day. Besides these pretty salads, they also have burgers and pasta.





The M3 beef burger uses a patty hand-pressed by the owner, and all the meat is sourced from Li Wei's shop in Changying.





This is an Italian-style sandwich, listed on the menu as a panini.



Barbecue is served in the evening. If you want a simple Western-style meal at night, you can call ahead to book. Everyone gave the simple meals and barbecue great reviews. The average cost per person is about 130 yuan.



3. Ma Bei'er Bistro



Ma Bei'er is a new brand started by the original management team of Jubao Yuan after they split up. Next to the main Ma Bei'er hot pot (shuanrou) restaurant on Nanheng West Street, there is also a small Ma Bei'er bistro that specializes in Beijing-style stir-fry dishes.



This stir-fry bistro is just as busy as the hot pot restaurant. We tried a few signature dishes and had a good experience. Everything was delicious and worth recommending. The average cost per person is about 100 yuan.



Stir-fried mixed vegetables (chaohecai)



Quick-fried beef tripe with coriander (yanbaosandan)



Deep-fried meatballs (ganzhawanzi)



Braised yellow croaker in northern style (kuadunhuangyu)



Slow-cooked beef (weiniurou)



Scallion pancake (conghuabing)

4. Carthage Restaurant



This is a Tunisian restaurant. It is owned by the same people as La Medina Tunisian restaurant in Sanlitun. You can find it on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun.



During Ramadan, they offer an iftar buffet for 120 yuan per person. It includes all the signature dishes you would expect, plus drinks and desserts.



Tunisia is a North African country. Its food habits are a bit different from West Africa, and North African flavors are usually easier for most people to enjoy.

















5. Fan Manyu Tomato Beef Flatbread (Paobing)



A new specialty shop just opened on the basement level of the West Zone at Tongzhou Wanda Plaza. They focus on tomato beef brisket with flatbread (paobing) and various other tomato-based dishes.



The staff uniforms are covered in tomato drawings.









Vinegar-stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu)



Lychee-flavored cherry tomatoes



Mapo tofu





Their food is prepared very delicately and tastes great. The environment is clean, the prices are affordable, and the average cost is under 80 yuan per person.

6. Stinky Star Snail Rice Noodle (Luosifen) Hot Pot



There is a halal snail rice noodle (luosifen) shop on the ground floor of the Golden Street in the West District of Tongzhou Wanda Plaza. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Changchun who used to work at iQIYI before opening this physical shop. The small shop has two floors and mainly serves halal snail rice noodles and clam rice noodles (huaji fen) in small hot pots.



The snail rice noodle hot pot comes with a wide variety of toppings that you can add to the pot to cook together.







This set meal for two costs 78 yuan and is enough for two or three people to eat.



The set includes Guangxi cassava sweet soup (mushu tangshui).



Add all the side dishes to the pot and cook for one minute before you start eating. The taste is quite authentic.

7. Mulaixuan Sturgeon Feast



Across from the Doudian Mosque in Fangshan, there is a restaurant that specializes in sturgeon (xunlongyu). This place is unique because it has no menu and you cannot order dishes. The owner decides the size of the fish based on how many people are in your group, and all the dishes are made from the fish you choose.





You pick the sturgeon from this fish tank, and they are all quite large. The sturgeon costs 58 yuan per jin, and the smallest fish weigh over five jin, making it perfect for groups.



After picking the fish, you just wait for the owner to serve the food. This is actually nice because it saves you the trouble of ordering.





The standard dishes include salt and pepper fish skin, sweet and sour fish bones, fish offal, fish and radish soup, and stir-fried fish fillets. The main course is sturgeon dumplings. The fish is very fresh, and every dish tastes great.















8. Saddam Lanzhou Beef Noodles



The long-standing Lanzhou brand Saddam Beef Noodles has expanded into Beijing's Fengtai District. Known as the Eastern Heretic of the Lanzhou beef noodle world, the shop opened in eastern Lanzhou in the 1990s. It got its name because the owner looked just like Saddam. Other famous shops include the Western Poison Ma Anjun, the Southern Emperor Guobao, the Northern Beggar Cangying, and the Central Master Ma Zilu.





You can tell the beef noodles will be good just by looking at the chili oil, which is fragrant but not too spicy. I tried it and found it very authentic. My friends from Lanzhou would not be disappointed if they came here to eat. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food map issue 52 introduces an AI restaurant-search tool and then covers JM CAFE & BAKERY, Zanjin Ningxia spicy hot pot, Xinjiang Aimaier Barbecue, Samarkand, Tianjin yellow-broth ramen, Lianying shaomai, Jingzhenxuan, and more local halal restaurants.

My official account now has an AI chatbot. You can ask questions in the chat, and the AI will help you find restaurant information to make searching easier.



It is still in the testing phase, so the answers might not be perfect. Even so, it is much better than the old keyword replies. Otherwise, I would have to set up countless keywords to handle all kinds of unusual questions.

The halal restaurants featured in this issue are as follows:

1. JM CAFE & BAKERY

2. Zanjin Ningxia Spicy Hot Pot (lahuhu)

3. Xinjiang Aimaier Barbecue

4. Samarkand (Hamuerhan) Workers' Stadium Branch

5. Tianjin Fengwei Yellow Broth Ramen (huangtang lamian)

6. Roma Restaurant Bar

7. Lianying Steamed Dumplings (shaomai) · Grassland Red Pomegranate

8. Zhizi Barbecue Zhang

9. Mufu Halal Spicy Hot Pot · Beef Noodles

10. Highland yak meat revolving mini hot pot

11. FIRENZE Italian Restaurant

12. Jingzhenxuan

1. JM CAFE & BAKERY



JM is a chain brand founded by a Hui Muslim. JM are his initials, and the owner is a big fan of Jay Chou, so the shop always plays his songs.



This is the White Pagoda Mosque branch. The cafe and bakery are close to each other. The owner says he insists on using halal ingredients, does not sell alcohol, and all drinks in the shop are non-alcoholic.



Their bread and desserts taste great. I tried everything for you. The business is booming now, and it is a popular spot on social media.





The cafe has a terrace on the second floor where you can take photos with the White Pagoda in the background.





Everything is a non-alcoholic drink.



They do not have a halal sign hanging outside, but the owner promises that all ingredients in his shops are halal and insists on not selling alcohol. I think this approach might be more reliable than just hanging a halal sign.





The owner of JM says they will soon open new branches on Niujie and Daji Lane. They are expected to open in August, and the Daji Lane shop will be quite large. I am really looking forward to it.

2. Zanjin Ningxia Spicy Hot Pot (lahuhu)



This is a Ningxia-style spicy hot pot (malatang) shop. Its specialties are Ningxia cold skin noodles (liangpi), spicy paste (lahuhu), and stir-fried rice with fermented chili (zaolajiao).











Ningxia-style spicy hot pot does not use sesame paste. It uses chili oil, which is very similar to Sichuan-style skewers (chuanchuan).

3. Xinjiang Aimaier Barbecue



This is a unique Xinjiang barbecue shop. You pick your meat skewers from a freezer when you walk in, and then they grill them for you.







Eating barbecue here is quite satisfying because they use charcoal-grilled skewers. It is a chain store, and they have another location at Dawanglu.



4. Samarkand (Hamuerhan) Workers' Stadium Branch



If you want to see the best-decorated halal restaurant in Beijing, just come to the Samarkand (Hamuerhan) Gongti branch.



Samarkand is a high-end brand under the Western Mahua group. They first opened at the Fengtai headquarters base, which also has a lot of style, but none are as luxurious as this Gongti branch.











The highlight of the Gongti branch is the afternoon tea. I chose the one called Chief's Afternoon Tea, which is enough for 4 to 6 people to eat, drink, and chat for the whole afternoon.



The set includes sand-boiled coffee, black tea, desserts, and fruit.



They also have yogurt with milk skin (naipizi suannai), which is now a standard item in Northwest restaurants.



Overall, Samarkand focuses more on style than substance, and the taste of the dishes needs improvement. However, I still really like the series of fast food restaurants from Western Mahua.

5. Tianjin Fengwei Yellow Broth Ramen (huangtang lamian)



Yellow broth pulled noodles (huangtang lamian) are a specialty of Tianjin, and now there is a halal version in Beijing.



This shop is run by people from Tianjin and Qinghai. The Tianjin staff handle the seasoning, while the Qinghai staff handle the pulled noodles and barbecue, keeping the flavor true to Tianjin style.



The reason the broth for these pulled noodles is yellow is because curry is added to it.





The sauce brushed on the barbecue is on the sweet side.

6. Roma Restaurant Bar



This Roma Bistro is run by a Pakistani friend. Although the place is small, the menu features a mix of dishes from Africa, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, India, Pakistan, and Italy. It is surprisingly delicious and cheap.













Their set meals are a great deal, costing only 50 to 60 yuan per person. The Pakistani kitchen staff are very particular about their cooking; the biryani is excellent, and the drinks are well-made.









7. Lianying Steamed Dumplings (shaomai) · Grassland Red Pomegranate



Lianying Shaomai, a famous restaurant from Ulanqab, has opened a flagship store in Qianmen that specializes in halal Mongolian food.



I highly recommend their Inner Mongolian pot tea (guochai), which is brewed fresh to order and contains milk tofu and beef jerky.



The Mongolian meat sausage and hand-grabbed meat (shouba rou) are also signature dishes, and all the ingredients come from Inner Mongolia.





Steamed dumplings (shaomai) are their signature dish. You can watch them make them fresh in the open kitchen, and my favorite is the lamb leg steamed dumplings (shaomai).



The most expensive dish is the whole roasted lamb for 2,000 yuan, which is actually a fair price. The meat is very tender and the skin is crispy.



You can also watch Mongolian dancing while you eat.



The stir-fried wild onion with lamb (shacong chaoyangrou) is also delicious.



The Inner Mongolian style sweet and sour beef (guobaorou) is made with strips of beef.



The lamb spine hot pot (yangxiezi guo) has a light flavor that is just right. You can add more meat after finishing the spine, making it a great choice for seniors and children.



The second floor has private rooms and a terrace for parties. It is very spacious and has an underground parking lot, with an average cost of under 100 yuan per person.





8. Zhizi Barbecue Zhang



The tomato hot pot restaurant at Caishikou has turned into a halal iron plate barbecue (zhizi kaorou) shop, but they still serve the tomato hot pot.





I saw paddlefish (yazuiyu) on the menu and decided to try it since I had never eaten it before.





The paddlefish (yazuiyu) meat is tender and has no small bones, so it is good for kids. The meat is marinated beforehand.



The rattan pepper beef (tengjiao niurou) comes from Xingji at Niujie.



Someone helps you grill the whole time, the service is pretty good, and it costs about 100 per person.



9. Mufu Halal Spicy Hot Pot · Beef Noodles



A newly opened halal spicy hot pot (malatang) in Wangfujing is owned by the same person as the beef noodle shop next door, who is from Linxia.



The owner studied Islamic scriptures in the past and has been running this shop in Wangfujing for three years.



Their spicy hot pot has many options. You can choose the dry-mixed Tianshui style or the Sichuan style. You can also pick the spice level. The mild version uses Gansu chili peppers, which are fragrant but not too spicy, and you can choose even spicier levels.









Their grilled skewers are especially delicious because the ingredients are high quality. The seasoning added to the spicy hot pot tastes just like Chongqing small noodles (xiaomian), which I really like.



10. Highland yak meat revolving mini hot pot



Alihan Grilled Meat and Mixed Noodles in Jinsong has been open for thirty years and is always busy. They recently added a yak meat conveyor belt hot pot.



There are many types of dishes and the prices are not expensive; you can eat for a few dozen yuan.







They even have two flavors of kvass (kawas) to choose from.



What attracts me most is the yak beef rolls. They taste great in the hot pot, have a good chew, and are better than the meat at typical conveyor belt hot pot places.





Their mixed noodles (banmian) and barbecue are also signature dishes, and you can choose either.

11. FIRENZE Italian Restaurant



This is the first halal Italian-themed restaurant in the capital. It used to be an Italian restaurant that struggled, but now Pakistani owners have taken over. They kept the Italian flavors and added Indian and Pakistani dishes.









The lamb chops and pasta are very Italian. It is rare to find such authentic halal Italian food in Beijing.





Seeing the crispy balls (pani puri) served with this dish reveals the chef's background.



The shop serves a special orange Americano. They stick to the Pakistani restaurant tradition of serving no alcohol. In the summer, you can sit in the small garden courtyard and eat barbecue. The average cost is over 100 yuan.

12. Jingzhenxuan



I spent Eid al-Adha (Qurban Festival) in Doudian. In the morning, I went to Jingzhenxuan and had their freshly made meat porridge and fried dough (youxiang).





Jingzhenxuan is located inside the Doudian Mosque, and they are very particular about their ingredients.



The owner gave Fahim a bottle of homemade sour plum drink (suanmeitang). It had a rich flavor and was great for cooling off.









After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at noon, we came back to Jingzhenxuan to eat their traditional halal dish, braised lamb strips (pa yangrou tiao).



Their stir-fried dishes are authentic, generous, and clean. If you have a large group, you can come here for the beef head feast, which requires at least 10 people to finish. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide highlights new Muslim-friendly restaurants across the city, from Henan huimian and Pakistani masala dishes to Ningxia cuisine, hotpot, and other authentic Hui Muslim food spots.



— Hello, Travel —

This article is a bit late. First, my son is about to be born, so I have been staying by my wife's side almost every moment and going out less. Second, I have been waiting for news that the famous Chengdu halal hotpot brand Niububi is opening in Beijing. Now that Niububi is here, Beijing truly lives up to its reputation as a world capital of halal food.

1

Henan-style: Old Yao's Secret Braised Noodles (huimian).



Old Yao runs two Henan braised noodle shops in Daxing. The one in the photo is not far from the Xihongmen Joy Breeze (Huiju) mall. For breakfast, they serve spicy pepper soup (hulatang) and pan-fried buns (shuijianbao). Note that these two Henan specialties are only sold as breakfast in the morning; after noon, you can only order braised noodles.



The cold dishes at this Henan braised noodle shop are a highlight. There is a wide variety, and they give you a plate to help yourself. Whether it is a good deal depends on how much food you can pile onto that one plate.



If you come in the afternoon or evening, the shop only serves beef bone and nourishing lamb braised noodles. Of course, both taste very authentic.



There are more halal Henan restaurants in Beijing now. For higher-end stir-fry, there is Yufu Shenchu; for snack stalls, there is Guhuaijie Mawu; in Huilongguan, there is Liangji Braised Noodles; and near Caoqiao, there is Xuyiwani Braised Noodles.

2

Indian-Pakistani Cuisine: Sultan Pakistan Restaurant.



A new Indian-Pakistani halal courtyard restaurant has opened in Huatai Village, Sanduhe, Huairou. The courtyard is very spacious with easy parking. I like the style of this place; it is bright, airy, clean, and tidy.



The chef is from Pakistan, and the owner is a local from Huairou. I asked her why she decided to open an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in an area crowded with farmhouse-style eateries. She said she has spent years with Pakistani friends and has long followed a halal lifestyle. She also has another chain store in Huairou county called Masala Pakistan Restaurant.



Many people ask me what masala actually tastes like. Masala is just a general term for Indian spices; a mixture of many Indian spices is called masala.



Because there are not many halal restaurants in the Huairou area, and even fewer with unique features, friends visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall, Hongluo Mosque, or Yanqi Lake scenic areas can stop by this Indian-Pakistani restaurant for a meal.



When I eat Indian-Pakistani food, I must have butter naan and chicken curry. One piece of naan is never enough. The most I have ever eaten was four pieces at an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in Nha Trang, Vietnam. I really love the smell of toasted wheat.



In my heart, Khan Baba ranks first for Indian-Pakistani food in Beijing, followed by Shalimar Indian-Pakistani Restaurant in Shunyi. While some other Indian restaurants are labeled halal, I have doubts about the owners' faith, and the decor has obvious Hindu features, so they do not feel as reliable to eat at as these two.



Curry puffs (gali jiao).

3

Tunisian Cuisine at La Medina



This Tunisian-style restaurant is actually the Mesa Restaurant that opened last year. The location last year was not ideal and the space was small, so this year they moved near the Armenian Embassy.



The white man in profile in the photo is the head chef, a Tunisian Arab. We met him last year, and I even asked him to confirm that the restaurant is halal because they did not have a halal sign hanging up.



In Beijing now, if a restaurant wants to hang a halal sign with Chinese characters, it must be approved by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee. Otherwise, you have to rely on word of mouth to confirm, which feels like going back to the time of the Prophet.



I took a photo of the restaurant's restroom and posted it on WeChat Moments. Many Han Chinese friends asked me why I posted a picture of a toilet. Actually, those who know will understand that the sprayer in this restroom is a facility specifically for Muslims.



Tunisia is in North Africa and has always been a popular vacation spot for Europeans. Tunisian food is also very unique.



Vegetable salad



Tunisian couscous (couscous)

This Tunisian couscous looks like millet and tastes like millet, but it is actually made from ground wheat grains. To us, it looks just like millet. On top of the couscous is Tunisian sausage made of beef. It is a bit salty and goes well with roasted peppers.



Moroccan bean soup

4

Inner Mongolian flavor at Qingcheng Restaurant (Changping Xihuan Road Branch)



Qingcheng Restaurant started in 1994 and is located in Changping District. I think it is the most authentic Inner Mongolian restaurant in Beijing. I have introduced the old shop before, and today I am introducing this branch. You can eat pot-wrapped beef (guobao niurou) at the main store, and at this branch, you can eat beef tripe hot pot and steamed dumplings (shaomai).



Beef tripe hot pot

A full pot of beef tripe costs only a little over 100 yuan, and the average cost per person is no more than 70 yuan. Prices in Changping are much lower than in the city center.



The steamed dumplings are also the most authentic Inner Mongolian flavor I have found in Beijing.



Sheep head meat

5

Qiqihar Flavor: Three Brothers Barbecue



Located on the first floor of Xingmei Building on Qinghe Heiquan Road, this is a Qiqihar-style barbecue restaurant.



We bought a set meal for two on Dazhong Dianping for 198 yuan.



The set meal had a good variety, but the taste was just average. It was cheap, though. There is a Northwest-style restaurant next door, and the two businesses operate together.



This iron plate barbecue is typical of the Qiqihar style. Since a new Qiqihar barbecue place just opened near Changying, there are now three halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurants in Beijing.



Cold noodles (lengmian), which every Qiqihar barbecue restaurant serves.

6

Qiqihar Flavor: Toupiqi



This shop is in Guanzhuang and opened recently. It is the third halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurant in Beijing.



The quality here is much better than at Three Brothers. Since it is located in the Changying area, it would be hard to survive if the meat quality were not good.



The shop has two floors, plenty of space, and convenient parking at the entrance, making it great for small gatherings with friends.



If I had to rank the three big Qiqihar barbecue spots in Beijing, I would put this one in second place and Dajinggai Barbecue Company in first. Dajinggai’s environment is designed to look like a street-side barbecue tent in Qiqihar, which feels more authentic, and their cold noodles and fried rice are delicious.









Three of us could not even finish this big table of food. The group-buy price was 191 yuan, which is very affordable.

7

Heilongjiang Flavor: Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew



A newly opened Northeast iron pot stew (tieguo dun) restaurant near Jiande Bridge, located in the basement of Qingxiangge Dalian Seafood.



Ever since the halal Erjie Earth Pot Stew (diguo dun) in Xueying, Daxing closed, I have not had authentic Northeast earth pot stew.



So, I invited three or four friends from the group to come and try it. We had to order the iron pot stewed goose, as you need a group to eat it.



This dish is called mashed garlic egg (suandaodan). It is a home-style specialty from Northeast China made with eggs and has a salty, savory flavor.



For raw vegetables with dipping sauce (zhanjiangcai), I love the cucumbers and green onions. I have loved eating green onions with soybean paste (dajiang) since I was a kid, especially with a hot, freshly steamed white bun (mantou).



To eat iron pot stewed goose (tieguo dun da'e), first put the chopped goose into the bottom of the pot, then add your choice of side dishes. We chose golden beans, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and potatoes. Cover the pot and stew for 15 minutes. Place steamed flower rolls (huajuan) and griddle cakes (tiebingzi) on top. When the time is up, the meat below is stewed and the staples on top are steamed. Everything is fresh and delicious.



This pot of stewed goose was enough for 6 of us. We finished every bit, and it cost 60 yuan per person.



8

Pingliang Flavor: Longxiang Hui Lamb Pita Bread Soup (yangrou paomo)



A lamb pita bread soup shop opened on Dongsi Street. People usually think of Xi'an style when they hear about pita bread soup, but this shop has the character 'Long' in its name, so I guessed it was Pingliang style.



I have many friends from Pingliang, and they often talk about the difference between Pingliang and Xi'an pita bread soup. Pingliang pita bread soup is its own thing; it has more broth, and the bread is fully cooked. Unlike the Xi'an version where the bread is only 70% cooked, you don't need to break the Pingliang bread into tiny pieces. Keep them in larger chunks. It is best to serve the broth and bread separately and soak the bread as you eat.



The owner told me the chef comes from the famous Chunhua Restaurant in Pingliang, which all the local elders know. The master chef has spent most of his life cooking and knows his craft well. Besides pita bread soup, you can also get Gansu-style hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuayangrou) and cold-tossed beef.



I heard they recently added cat-ear noodles (mashi) and cold noodles (liangpi). These are Gansu specialties that are tasty and affordable.



9

Lanzhou Flavor: Silk Road Yilan Spicy Hot Pot (malatang)



Silk Road Yilan, the only place on Niujie Street that doesn't sell alcohol, recently added spicy hot pot inside their noodle shop. The flavor is great, and it is served in individual pots, making it clean and hygienic.



If you don't want noodles and want to eat more vegetables, you should come and try it.





10

Inner Mongolia Flavor: Mengdameng Specialty Roasted Lamb Leg



A small Mongolian-style barbecue shop near the Xihongmen Mosque.



I didn't come here for their roasted lamb leg. I eat too much meat usually, so I wanted something light.





My favorite dish here is the Mongolian big bowl noodles (menggu dawan mian). The noodles are wide and the soup is a bit spicy, but the noodles are chewy. Many friends say it tastes great.



You can order the roasted lamb ribs (kao yangpai) by the jin. These are small lamb ribs.



Roasted sweet potato slices (kao digua pian)

11

Sichuan-style Niububi clear oil tripe hot pot



I first ate at Niububi in Chengdu in 2016. That was my first time having authentic halal Chengdu hot pot. I waited in line for over two hours, but it was worth it. I later ate at their Xining branch, but it is a pity that Beijing has never had a truly authentic halal Sichuan hot pot restaurant, only a few cold pot skewer shops.



The restaurant is on the second floor of Quanpin Jinsha in Mudanyuan. The space is large, and the interior design was reportedly done by a Hui Muslim designer.



Niububi gets its ingredients from the Tangjiasi Hui Muslim community under Chengdu's jurisdiction, which is the largest livestock trading area in the southwest. The owner of Niububi is a local Sichuan Hui Muslim, and the head chef is also a Sichuan Hui Muslim who is skilled at making Sichuan cuisine.



Iced jelly (bingfen)

Iced jelly is a must-have dessert for Sichuan hot pot. It is mainly used to cool down the spice, and it is cold, sour, and sweet.



Duck intestines (ya chang)

Duck intestines and tripe are essential dishes for Chengdu hot pot. Duck intestines cook as soon as you dip them in the water.



Shabu-shabu tripe (mao du) is their signature specialty. Fresh beef tripe only needs a few seconds in the pot, commonly known as 'seven up, eight down,' otherwise the texture will get tough.



Freshly fried crispy beef (xiao su rou) is also a standard snack for Sichuan hot pot. The beef is tender, fresh, and crispy.



Brown sugar sticky rice cake (hongtang ciba)

Unlike some shops that buy pre-made brown sugar sticky rice cakes to heat up, Niububi makes theirs on the spot to ensure the best texture.



The shop is called Niububi, which means their beef quality is so good it does not need to be compared to anyone else's. The name also sounds like a slang term for awesome. Niububi really is awesome among my friends, and it is the most authentic Sichuan hot pot I have ever had. I am so happy to find the same taste in Beijing as in Chengdu; it gives us one less reason to travel to Chengdu.



From this Sunday the 19th through the 30th, Niububi is holding a soft opening promotion with 32% off everything. Usually, there are no discounts and the average cost is about 150 to 200 yuan per person, so you can save quite a bit with this deal. Don't miss out on these dates. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide maps issue 32 of the series, including Chongqing hot pot, Temple of Heaven halal fast food, beef ball noodles, Beijing style snacks, and Ramadan iftar notes from Niujie Mosque.

Beijing Halal Food Map (32) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I have been too busy to go out and explore shops during Ramadan. After breaking my fast in the evening, I soon have to start the Tarawih prayers. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

I have been too busy to go out and explore shops during Ramadan. After breaking my fast in the evening, I soon have to start the Tarawih prayers. I mostly break my fast at the Niujie Mosque. The mosque now provides tea and snacks every day for iftar. The main meals are usually boxed lunches provided by different elders in turns. It does not matter if the boxed lunch tastes good or not; what matters is the blessing inside. Providing an iftar meal for someone fasting earns the same reward. I hope those who are able will invite more friends (dosti) around them who are fasting to break their fast.

1. Hongxiaolu Authentic Chongqing Hot Pot



This is a newly opened Chongqing hot pot restaurant in Beijing, owned by a person from Zhangjiachuan, Gansu. According to the owner, they originally planned to join the Niububi franchise, but Niububi does not accept franchises, no matter how much money is offered.



The style of this shop is slightly different from Niububi. Niububi is a Sichuan clear oil hot pot, which is different from Chongqing hot pot in terms of the soup base. Also, the prices here are cheaper than Niububi, and the dishes are slightly inferior to Niububi as well.







The shop is located on Xiaoying North Road in the Datun Subdistrict of the Asian Games Village. Next door is a hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan), and both are owned by the same person.



2. Ya'er Liji Small Restaurant



Ya'er Liji has opened a new fast-food spot at the south gate of the Temple of Heaven. They do not sell hot pot meat, only fast food and snacks.



The highlights of their menu are Luxi beef rice, braised chicken rice (huangmenji mifan), and beautifully plated soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian).



Luxi beef rice

Since the owner of Ya'er Liji is from Dezhou, Shandong, it makes sense that they make Luxi beef and braised chicken well, as braised chicken is also a Shandong specialty.



Braised chicken rice

Few ordinary restaurants make soybean paste noodles with much care, but this small shop puts effort into the vegetable toppings and provides a good variety. The only downside is that the noodles are not hand-rolled, so the texture is a bit lacking.



Soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian)

3. Xiangqing Beef Ball Noodles



Xiangqing Beef Ball Noodles is a new brand at the Qingxiangge Tuanjiehu branch. This spot used to be Anhui beef flat noodles (banmian), but the sign has changed again.





This noodle shop doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food is actually quite good. The spicy beef noodles with beef balls and a small bowl of beef are especially fragrant and affordable.



The small bowl of beef and the beef balls are stewed until very soft and tender, melting in your mouth with plenty of flavor.



Small bowl of beef



Beef balls



4. Annei Laoma Steamed Dumplings (Dongba Branch)



This is a branch of Annei Laoma Steamed Dumplings (shaomai) in Dongba. The menu is slightly different, and I think it tastes better than the main store.



Besides the classic beef and lamb steamed dumplings, this branch serves Inner Mongolian-style lamb offal (yangza) and small hot pots, which the main store does not have.





Pan-fried steamed dumplings (youjian shaomai)



Their lamb offal is just the Inner Mongolian style I like. It comes in a full bowl with plenty of finely sliced tripe, just like what I ate in Inner Mongolia.



5. MULU



Mulu is a private Malaysian restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian flavors. It is the most expensive restaurant I have ever visited. You must book three days in advance and pay a deposit. They charge per person: 988 yuan for four main courses or 1488 yuan for six. They serve the dishes in order, just like a Western-style meal.



The menu for Monday through Friday.

The restaurant is located in a hutong in the Dongcheng District. You need a reservation. The owner and head chef is a Malaysian Chinese person who mainly provides custom catering for various Southeast Asian embassies. Because of this, the ingredients are guaranteed to be halal, and the chef showed me where they come from.



It is a private kitchen with a very intimate atmosphere. The only downside is that parking is difficult. There is only one parking space, and you need good driving skills to navigate a car into the hutong.







Before serving each dish, the chef explains the ingredients and the cooking process. Every guest gets an individual portion, and the chef brings out the raw ingredients to show us.



The portions are small. I can finish one in two or three bites, but it is perfect for women who want to eat elegantly and savor the flavors.



The Friday menu features Nyonya cuisine. Nyonya is another name for Malaysian Chinese people. It is very rare to find a halal version of this in Beijing.



This is the white asparagus the chef showed us. You rarely see this in a regular market.



To improve the taste, the chef adds sauce to some dishes right at the table.





The creamy veal ribs have a strong milky aroma and are tender and juicy. There is no denying that their ingredients are very fresh.



This turtle-shell-shaped dessert is made from beetroot and has a soft, chewy texture.



A small serving of sago dessert (ximilu) comes in a stone pot. The pot feels ice-cold to the touch, and the dessert is refreshing, sweet, and cool.

6. Dexiangshun Halal Restaurant



This new little restaurant on Jiaozihutong in Niujie looks plain from the outside, but the stir-fried dishes are quite tasty.



The kung pao chicken (gongbao jiding) is a standout. It tastes just like the version I had as a kid and goes perfectly with rice.



The stir-fried mixed vegetables (chaohecai) are also good. They have some off-menu items too, like the braised eggplant (shaoqiezi), which is delicious.



We tried almost everything on the menu and didn't find a single bad dish. It cost three of us less than 100 yuan, making it a great value.



7. 99th Arabic Barbecue



This shop is on the basement level of Euro Plaza in Shunyi. Even though it is called Arabic Barbecue, it has nothing to do with Arabia; it is run by Hui Muslims from Beijing.



The owner is also preparing a music barbecue restaurant next door, but it has not opened yet.



Their barbecue rice is really just a mixed rice bowl and has nothing to do with Arabic pilaf (zhuafan), but it tastes okay.



The barbecue wrap has a hint of Middle Eastern shawarma, but it still leans more toward a Chinese style.



This is the only halal shop on the basement level of Euro Plaza. I chatted with the manager and offered some suggestions for improvement.



8. Dastaan Indian Restaurant



A South Asian restaurant opened on the third floor of Sanlitun SOHO Mall Building 5. The chef and servers are from Bangladesh. This year, April 14th was both Jumu'ah and the Bengali New Year. The restaurant prepared a special buffet for 248 yuan per person, featuring Bengali dishes and South Asian snacks, available only on that day.



These are Bengali-style mixed vegetable fritters. The fried bitter melon was very unique, and the thin crispy cracker on top was truly thin, crunchy, and delicious.



Phuchka (panipuri)

This snack of crispy balls filled with sour soup is panipuri, which appeared in the Indian movie Dangal. It is found in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. You must eat these balls immediately after they are filled with the soup, or they will get soggy and lose their texture.



The Bengali server wearing a turban only speaks English.



Three types of pilaf served with roasted chicken or beef are among my favorite South Asian foods.



South Asian style salads include Kolkata-style potato and black chickpea salad and Bengali-style chili salad. Be warned, the chili is very spicy and I could barely handle it.



Kolkata soft white cheese, rose and nut sweet millet porridge, semolina with coconut-flavored sweet balls, and traditional Bengali rice porridge.



Bengali-style mixed spinach masala



Indian white cheese chicken gravy with fried potatoes



Bengali-style with coconut and raisins



Kolkata slow-cooked lamb masala



Yogurt and nut sauce chicken



Fried carp with mustard and yogurt sauce



A colorful display of various spices.



Lime-flavored yogurt drink and mango-flavored drink



Bengali-style popcorn



The host wears traditional clothing and speaks with a thick Indian accent to celebrate the arrival of the new year.



There is a dance performance during the meal, and the young lady dances very beautifully.

That is all for this collection. The text and photos are original, and you may not repost them without permission. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food map covers new Muslim-friendly restaurants opened around Ramadan, including Korean-style barbecue, Yanji cold noodles, Anhui banmian, Turkish food, Indian food, and local Hui Muslim dining.



— Hello, Travel —

This is the third Ramadan I have spent during the pandemic. In March, I was locked down for nearly a month in Dachang, which had zero confirmed cases. I could only move around within the community, so I could not go out to visit restaurants. When Langfang lifted the lockdown in early April, I immediately packed my bags and took my family back to our home in Beijing overnight.

Back in the capital after a long absence, I was greeted by many halal restaurants that had just opened. I had only been away for half a year, but halal restaurants in Beijing were opening one after another. Overall, although some shops closed, the speed of new openings was slightly faster than the closures, so I do not have to worry about having nothing to write for my official account.

During Ramadan, we visited a new restaurant almost every night. Sometimes I treated everyone to iftar, and sometimes others treated me. There is a reward for feeding someone who is fasting, so everyone scrambled to pay the bill. The thrilling part was that just as I finished visiting the new restaurants on my list, Beijing suspended dine-in services during the May Day holiday.

This issue (the 25th issue) is very rich in content, with new additions including halal versions of Yanji cold noodles (lengmian), Anhui flat noodles (banmian), Northeast-style barbecue, Turkish food, Indian food, Korean barbecue, and new-style Chinese cuisine.

1

Korean-style Xiaohuiniu Barbecue



Xiaohuiniu Barbecue is located in the ground-floor shops of Maying Village in Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou. It is near a residential area for Hui Muslims and close to Universal Studios, so there are many halal restaurants nearby. We even saw a barbecue night market on the roadside with stalls selling halal deep-fried stinky tofu and grilled skewers. This kind of lively atmosphere is hard to find in Beijing nowadays.



We bought a 4-person set meal on Dazhong Dianping for 288 yuan, which is 70 yuan per person. Overall, the price is cheaper than in the city center. The quality of the beef in the set is good, there are servers to help grill the meat, and the restaurant environment is spacious, making for a comfortable dining experience.



The set includes a portion of Hui beef belly and thick-cut beef tongue, as well as lamb butterfly chops and Orleans-style chicken wings. Paired with some cold dishes, it basically satisfies the appetites of four people.



The main courses are a portion of cold noodles (lengmian) and a portion of stone pot bibimbap. These two are the standard main course pairings for Korean barbecue. Both are quite delicious, and the portions are not too large, so there is no waste.



A major highlight of this place is the self-service sauce bar, which offers many flavor options. There are various dry and wet dipping sauces, and I suggest trying each one. I personally prefer the dry dipping sauces.



I have tried grilling meat at home, but a drawback is that the smoke fills the whole room. So, whenever I want to eat barbecue, I still recommend going to a restaurant. There are now several halal Korean barbecue restaurants in Beijing, such as Toupiqi and Qingu in Changying, as well as Japanese-style places like Chidao Yakiniku and Niushi, all of which are good restaurants.



Address: Shop 5, Ground Floor, Maying Village, Zhangjiawan Town

Phone: 17610562606

2

Taihe beef flat noodles (banmian) from Anhui.



We originally planned to break our fast at Xiaohuiniu, but when we arrived at Zhangjiawan, we stumbled upon this halal Anhui flat noodle shop. It is located right at the entrance of the street where the Zhangjiawan mosque stands. The guys and I agreed immediately to eat our noodles here to break our fast before heading off for barbecue. Sometimes plans just cannot keep up with changes.



Taihe beef flat noodles are a specialty snack from Anhui that originated during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. Taihe is a place in Fuyang, Anhui. The name flat noodles comes from the way the dough is flattened with a rolling pin and slapped against a cutting board.



To save room for the barbecue at Xiaohuiniu, we each ordered a small bowl of noodles. The small bowl was actually quite large and cost 10 yuan. The beef broth was rich and the wide noodles were chewy. My teammates could not stop praising them. It was everyone's first time having halal flat noodles, and we all felt the trip was worth it.

3

New Chinese-style pastries: Tanggusu and Guiyizhai.



Tanggusu and Guiyizhai are the same business, located right next to each other with an interior connection. Tanggusu is the takeout window, while you can walk into Guiyizhai to shop. Young people who are not used to traditional pastries can find new flavors here.



They have halal meat floss cakes (xiaobei), egg tarts, jujube cakes, chocolate pies, muffins, Napoleon cakes, and sweetheart cakes (laopobing), as well as sugar-free cakes.



The chocolate pie is their best-selling dessert and is cheap at 8 yuan each. Given the limited options for halal desserts, this shop is quite affordable, even if it is not as good as what my wife makes.



The chocolate pie was packed with filling. Since I was still fasting, I did not get to taste it; my wife ate it all (nursing mothers do not have to fast).



Napoleon cake.

Address: Bungalow 1, Courtyard 2, Jiaomen Road.

Phone: 01067532366.

4

New-style Beijing cuisine: Yimanxuan.



One evening, Tiantian had the intention (niyyah) to treat everyone to break their fast. Since we wanted to keep the cost per person reasonable, I specifically chose this newly opened restaurant near Xidan.



Qianlong cabbage.

Qianlong cabbage (qianlong baicai) is a cold dish made with Chinese cabbage, sesame paste, honey, and sugar.



Dry-fried young chicken (ganbian ziji).

This Sichuan-style dry-fried young chicken is deep-fried first, so it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It is topped with dried chili strips for a spicy, fragrant flavor that is just right.



Stir-fried lamb (baohu).

Baohu is basically stir-fried lamb, but cooked over higher heat for a longer time. You eat it with sesame flatbread (shaobing), which is soft enough to stuff the meat inside. This dish is quite popular.



Fried cornmeal buns with stinky tofu (zha wotou choudoufu).

This is a favorite among old Beijingers. You spread stinky tofu on fried cornmeal buns. Don't smell it; just hold your breath and eat it, and you won't notice the smell.



Noodles with thick gravy (dalu mian).

We chose these noodles with thick gravy as our main course. One big bowl serves three people. The handmade noodles and the gravy are both carefully prepared and highly recommended.

5

Northwest cuisine at Lili Yangke.



During Ramadan, Lili Yangke provides dates for those fasting to break their fast. They also prioritize serving food to guests breaking their fast; just tell the server it is an iftar meal, and the chef will serve it on time.



The waitresses at Lili Yangke wear headscarves, and I saw them performing namaz after breaking their fast.



We use boiled dates to break our fast, following the Sunnah.



The deluxe version of eight-treasure tea (babao cha), also known as three-cannon tea (sanpaotai) in Lanzhou, is always filled to the brim when you visit a home in the Northwest.



Hezhou steamed buns (Hezhou baozi) are not a main course here; in the Northwest, they are served as an appetizer before the meal.



Milk and egg fermented rice soup (niunai jidan laozao) is a Northwest dessert that can be eaten before or after a meal.



Their Dongxiang free-range chicken (Dongxiang liuda ji) is excellent. The meat is tender and has a great texture that is clearly different from regular chicken.



The golden bread roasted lamb leg (huangjin mianbao kao yangtui) is their signature dish. You need to order it an hour in advance because it is baked to order. Once the bread is cut open, it is filled with pre-cut pieces of lamb, and the quality of the meat is excellent.



The small fried dough (youxiang) is fluffy and delicious, and you can eat it like a snack. Many places do not fry youxiang regularly, only on important days, which makes the food feel sacred. There is even a custom that you must break it by hand to eat it. These are local traditions that do not come from the Quran or Hadith. We respect these traditions, but we should also know where they come from.

Address: No. 15 Guangqu Jiayuan, Guangqumen Outer Street.

Phone: 13777836511.

6

Xinjiang Cuisine: Ziyuan.



There are Xinjiang restaurants everywhere in Beijing now, but this one stands out for its decor. People say they hired the famous Japanese designer Shuhei Aoyama. The master's design fee was as high as 2,000 yuan per square meter, which shows the owner has very high standards for aesthetics.



Since they hired a master designer, they are naturally careful about choosing ingredients. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Xinjiang, so the ingredients come directly from Xinjiang.



We saw a note on the menu: 'The restaurant's chefs all come from ethnic minority regions in Xinjiang.' This description speaks for itself. Those who know, know. This is how ethnic restaurants from Xinjiang write it these days.



Actually, before eating at Ziyuan, we had already broken our fast at a nearby Yunnan restaurant called Dianxinyuan. We just happened to pass by here and thought, since we came all this way, we might as well go in and sit for a while.



We ordered a meat-filled flatbread (rou nang). Even though we were very full, we still thought it was delicious. It had plenty of filling and lots of meat.



We also ordered a skewer of grilled lamb liver and a skewer of red willow grilled meat (hongliu kaorou). The ingredients were all very fresh and satisfying.



Address: Block B, Podium Building, AVIC Plaza, Ronghua South Road.

Phone: 13511041942.

7

Turkish Cuisine: SIMIT PALACE.



This is a newly opened Turkish restaurant in the Asian Games Village. The owner is a Turkish man from Istanbul, and his wife is from Beijing. In 2005, they opened a Turkish restaurant called Osman on Lucky Street.



The restaurant has only one floor, with the kitchen on the second floor. The first floor serves desserts, bread, and coffee, making it a great spot for a casual afternoon tea.



I bought some bread to try. It was made very delicately, and after my wife checked it, she said it was quite good.



I love drinking coffee and enjoy the feeling of relaxing in a cafe. Since we cannot drink water during the day in Ramadan, we went at night. I couldn't resist ordering a cup of strong Turkish coffee, even if it meant I might not sleep well later.



The coffee cups here are very delicate and decorated with patterns of dragon robes.



Rice pudding (sutlac) is a small dessert that originated in the Middle East, made by baking cooked rice with milk and butter.



Usually, you should eat Turkish food at a Turkish restaurant, but I saw fried chicken, french fries, and burgers on the menu and couldn't resist. After all, halal Western-style fast food is not as common in Beijing as Turkish restaurants, and we consider Turkish food to be Western cuisine anyway.



The fries and burgers are made to order. The cheese and meat patty in the burger were delicious. This burger combo costs over 50 yuan.

Address: First floor, Building 17, Courtyard 5, Anding Road.

Phone: 13718618634.

8

Yanji Cuisine: Xiangyu Jubinyuan.



This place also opened recently. They serve halal Yanji cold noodles (lengmian) and double-stir-fried meat (guobaorou), which my friends from Northeast China will recognize.



The double-stir-fried meat is sweet and sour, and it is eaten as a side dish with the cold noodles.



Although this is the first restaurant to focus on halal Yanji cold noodles, many barbecue restaurants in Beijing serve halal cold noodles that taste just as good.



Spicy shredded pollock (ban mingtaiyu si).

Spicy shredded pollock is a specialty snack of the Korean ethnic group. It is mixed with Korean chili paste and has a salty, sweet, and slightly spicy taste.



Spicy mixed beef (la ban niurou).

Spicy mixed beef is also a common cold dish for the Korean ethnic group, but they usually use dog meat. Since we cannot eat dog meat, we use beef instead.

Address: No. 1 Beicaochang Hutong, a century-old classic.

Phone: 18501952822

9

Fusion cuisine, Qingxiangge Crayfish, and Anhui Flat Noodles King.



Qingxiangge opened a crayfish shop in Tuanjiehu, specializing in fresh, spicy crayfish. They also opened an Anhui Flat Noodles King (Anhui banmian wang) next door. The iron pot stew (tieguo dun) upstairs and the two shops downstairs all belong to Qingxiangge.



As usual, we couldn't resist ordering a bowl of beef flat noodles (niurou banmian) from next door. Coincidentally, they also sell hot dry noodles (reganmian), so we brought both bowls over to the crayfish shop to break our fast.



Hot dry noodles (reganmian)

In my opinion, the hot dry noodles are better than the beef flat noodles. The hot dry noodles are a bit spicy but very fragrant, similar to what I ate in Wuhan. For beef flat noodles, I prefer the place in Zhangjiawan.



Beef flat noodles (niurou banmian)



The crayfish are fresh, and you can taste it. You must order at least two jin (one kilogram). The price is a bit high, but the chef can help peel the shrimp. You can add noodles to the leftover sauce after eating the shrimp. It is very fragrant but also quite spicy. If you cannot handle spice, I suggest choosing the thirteen-spice (shisanxiang) flavor.



The hand-rolled noodles mixed with the sauce are delicious. The texture of the noodles is similar to noodles with stir-fried meat (guoyourou banmian).



Spicy chicken (lazi ji)

The spicy chicken at this shop is very delicious. The chili peppers are especially fragrant, and it is worth recommending.



Spanish mackerel dumplings (bayu shuijiao)

Qingxiangge started by selling Dalian seafood, so their menu naturally includes Spanish mackerel dumplings. The filling is made of whole mackerel meat, which is pure, soft, and savory.

Address: Five single-story houses on the south side of Building 20, Baijiazhuang Dongli.

Phone: 18911210255

10

Indian Cuisine: Love in Curry



This shop is tucked away. It has been in the basement of Hongqiao Market for five years, but I only found out about it this year.



The space is small, just a stall in the basement food court, but it is clean and hygienic. They do not sell alcohol. Honestly, I have never seen an Indian or Pakistani brother run a restaurant that sells alcohol.



When eating Indian food, curry and naan bread (nangbing) are must-haves. If I want more options, I add fried rice or roasted chicken. Naan and curry come in many flavors, but I recommend the butter naan and lamb curry.



Indian and Pakistani barbecue has bright colors because it is marinated with spices. The green dipping sauce is made from spinach juice.



Deep-fried vegetable curry puffs (samosa)

Address: B1 Food Court, Hongqiao Market, Chongwenmen Outer Street

Phone: 15210944043

11

Beijing Cuisine: Yuelangzhai



In Xiguanshi Village, Changping, there is a halal restaurant with a famous history. Before I arrived, I learned that the restaurant was once an Imperial Escort Agency (yushan biaoju), named for protecting Empress Dowager Cixi during her escape to Xi'an.

Yuelangzhai Restaurant started in 2014. The Li family ancestors were professional escorts. Although that trade no longer exists, the descendants of the Li family are good cooks. Using their ancestral property, they decided to open a restaurant.



At the entrance, a screen wall is carved with the four characters for Imperial Escort Agency. Research confirms it was indeed bestowed by the emperor. The Imperial Escort Agency was originally called Xiguangyu Escort Agency. To protect Empress Dowager Cixi as she left Beijing, the owner Li Entao recommended Yang Juchuan to accompany her all the way to Xi'an and back to Beijing.



The front hall has a dragon chair with a yellow robe hanging nearby. In the center hangs a plaque that reads Yuelangzhai, showing that this shop once served the royal family.



Walking through the porch into the main hall, the space is wide. The interior uses a traditional Chinese style that is simple and elegant. The restaurant has two floors: the first floor has open seating, and the second floor has private rooms.



Inside a private room, the decor remains traditional Chinese with square tables and wooden stools. Calligraphy and ink paintings hang on the walls, creating an atmosphere that feels like traveling back to the late Qing Dynasty.



Vinegar-fried wood-ear and egg (culiu muxu) is a common Beijing home-style dish found in many restaurants. It should be called culiu muxi because the fried eggs look like osmanthus flowers (muxi). It requires high culinary skill; it looks simple, but it is not easy to make well.



Manager Li highly recommended these beef meatballs. He said he usually avoids ordering this dish at other restaurants because they often use too many fillers and not enough beef, but the beef meatballs at Yuelangzhai are made with real, quality ingredients. I picked one up and took a bite. It was just as Manager Li said, full of beef flavor with no taste of starch or other fillers. The meatballs were soft, delicious, and melted in my mouth.



Pan-seared tofu (guota doufu) is a classic Beijing-Shandong dish. You cut the tofu into 5-centimeter squares, mince shrimp into a paste, and mix it with egg wash. Dip the tofu in the egg mixture, pan-fry it over low heat, and when the oil is about 60 percent hot, slide the tofu into the pan. Fry both sides until golden brown, then cover and simmer until the sauce reduces.



For the main course, we had grilled noodles (zhizi kaomian). I had heard of grilled meat (zhizi kaorou) before, but never grilled noodles. Manager Li said he invented this dish. He seasons hand-rolled noodles and stir-fries them on a hot iron grill, similar to stir-fried noodles. The high heat of the grill adds a lot of aroma and texture, and it is very popular with diners.

Address: No. 8, Houchang Street, Xiguanshi Village, Yangfang Town

Phone: 01069760863

12

Northeast Chinese Cuisine: Baixiaobei Northeast Barbecue



This is the only halal Northeast-style barbecue restaurant in Beijing. It just opened, so we organized a group of friends to visit during the trial period. Northeast barbecue is known for small skewers, which is different from Northeast stir-fry dishes that come in large portions.



Boiled beef tripe (shuan niudu)

I don't mind small portions because it lets me try more flavors and helps avoid food waste.



Stir-fried screw snails (baochao dingluo)

Once the tips of the screw snails are broken off, you just suck on them to pull the meat out. The texture is crisp, tender, and chewy.



Fruit cold noodles (shuiguo lengmian). I have to say, the cold noodles here are quite authentic and taste much better than the halal Yanji cold noodles I mentioned earlier.



The skewers are called 'Five Elements Lacking Skewers' (wuxing que chuan). I don't know what that means, but I can tell it's beef, and the yellow part is cheese.



This dish is called 'Super Big Salad' (wocao chaoji da shala) because it is served on a huge plate. People from the Northeast love eating raw vegetables, and the owner gave us this cold salad for free.



Grilled oysters and scallops are a must. The ingredients are very fresh, but they are not cheap.



Deep-sea turbot head (shenhai dieyutou). This fish has sharp teeth and a fierce temperament. The more aggressive the fish, the firmer and tastier the meat.



The cold-tossed fish skin (liangban yupi) has no fishy smell, which shows it is very fresh, and it tastes crisp and refreshing. Cold-tossed fish skin is a classic home-style dish in Northeast China. I wanted to try the roasted silkworm pupae (kao canyong), but my friend talked me out of it because they were scared.



Shenyang chicken rack (jijia) is also a very famous local specialty in the Northeast. The chicken rack is fried until it is golden and crispy, and you can even chew the bones. This shop has a wide variety of small skewers, covering almost all the signature barbecue dishes of the Northeast. The prices are a bit high, with an average cost of over 150 yuan per person.

Address: Ground floor shops on the east side of Dajiaoting International Business Hotel, Guangqu Road.

Phone: 13041118808

13

Beijing Cuisine · Xingyuanzhai Halal Restaurant



It is not easy to find a halal restaurant near the Mutianyu Great Wall in Huairou. Fortunately, there are two halal restaurants right next to each other in Sanduhe Village. I introduced one before, called Sudan Pakistan Restaurant, and the other is this Xingyuanzhai. Xingyuanzhai is a farmhouse-style restaurant with a spacious, two-story layout. In the summer, you can also sit in the courtyard to eat barbecue.



The owner is a Hui Muslim from Shunyi. This shop was originally located in Shunyi and is related to the famous Fushouzhai Hot Pot Restaurant in Shunyi. They just moved to Huairou during the pandemic.



A must-eat in Huairou is the roasted rainbow trout (kao hongzunyu), which is a local farmhouse specialty. Rainbow trout is a cold-water fish with teeth in its mouth. It has a fierce nature and requires high water quality, so its meat is quite delicious.



I originally said I wanted to eat small skewers, but the owner recommended that they have freshly slaughtered lamb, so I could have a pound of freshly grilled large skewers, which are even more fragrant.



Cornmeal flatbread (hubing) stuffed with chives and eggs.



Address: Sanduhe Village, Bohai Town, Huairou District.

Phone: 18910316080

14

Fusion Cuisine · Sayierier



Sayierier Silk Road Cuisine focuses on food from the Silk Road, so it should not be seen as just Xinjiang-style. It also features Mediterranean specialties, as well as Sichuan, Huaiyang, Hunan, Cantonese, and seafood dishes, making it a fusion restaurant.



The environment is upscale and the prices are not cheap, with an average cost of around 200 yuan per person.



There is free ice cream and snacks you can help yourself to while waiting for a table.



The complimentary bread and spicy onion salad (pilahong) served before the meal are also delicious, not just some thrown-together freebie.



For the Mediterranean salad, the dragon fruit and mango are shaped like roses.



Four of us shared a classic grilled meat platter for 328 yuan, which included beef, lamb, vegetables, and seafood. Adding a few carb-heavy sides was plenty. The food tasted great and the service was attentive. I plan to bring more people next time to try other dishes.

Address: 1st Floor, No. F2 Huayuan Road

Phone: 13161344588 view all