Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Zhengzhou introduces the city’s mosques, Hui Muslim history, Henan halal food, huimian, hulatang, Fang Zhongshan, and practical notes from local visits around Erqi Square.

A Halal Trip to Zhengzhou is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Zhengzhou has 120 mosques, including 22 mosques for women. I have visited Zhengzhou several times and have been to 8 of these mosques in total. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Zhengzhou has 120 mosques, including 22 mosques for women. I have visited Zhengzhou several times and have been to 8 of these mosques in total. These 8 mosques are not far from each other and are all located around Erqi Square. There are four districts in China named after the Hui Muslims. Besides the Huimin District in Hohhot, the other three are all in Henan: the Guancheng Hui District in Zhengzhou, the Chanhe Hui District in Luoyang, and the Shunhe Hui District in Kaifeng.

The Hui Muslims in Henan left a very good impression on me. They are open-minded, hardworking, studious, simple, and kind. The Central Plains region has produced scholars since ancient times. A significant portion of the treasure trove of Chinese Islamic academic knowledge comes from the contributions of scholars from the Central Plains. It is just that they are low-key and humble, do not seek fame, and their personal fame does not match their academic status.

1. Qingpingli Mosque



Built in 1918, this small mosque looks simple, but famous imams like Wang Jingzhai and Pang Shiqian once served as leaders here.



2. Wuyingli Mosque



There is a martial arts hall inside the mosque. Many mosques in Henan have martial arts halls. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Hui Muslims valued martial arts, and many imam scholars were skilled in both literature and martial arts.



3. Fuminli Mosque



Fuminli Mosque was built in the early years of the Republic of China, and the women's mosque was built in 1940.





4. Beida Mosque



This mosque was built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. It is the oldest existing mosque in the Zhengzhou area. Famous imams such as Ma Changqing, Pang Shiqian, and Shang Xixian once taught here.







The new main hall of the North Mosque (Beida Qingzhensi) was expanded, and I attended Jumu'ah prayer here in 2018.

5. Beixia Street Mosque (Beixiajie Qingzhensi)



It was first built in 1935. The original mosque was torn down, and it is now a modern building.





6. Xiaolou Mosque (Xiaolou Qingzhensi)



It was first built in the early years of the Republic of China. These mosques around Erqi Square in Zhengzhou were all built between the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.



7. Lvzheng Mosque (Lvzheng Qingzhensi)



It was first built in the late Qing Dynasty. The first imam of Lvzheng Mosque was Mai Fenglou, and Ni Shilin once served as a martial arts teacher here.



8. Huayuan Street Mosque (Huayuanjie Qingzhensi)



It was first built in 1920. Huayuan Street Mosque is a central mosque that is quite active in missionary work and is popular with young people. I attended Jumu'ah here in 2014, visited again in 2016, and came back for Jumu'ah in 2022. During these visits, I met Imam Feng and the Arabic calligrapher Mr. Mi Guangjiang.



After Jumu'ah, Imam Feng invited us to the Cimin Building next door. It happened to be the day the Cimin Building was hosting a food tasting event. The Lanzhou halal seasoning brand Shuangmale brought various seasoning packets they sell to the Cimin Building for a display. The Cimin Building used these packets to make many snacks for everyone to taste.





We ate various boiled dumplings (shuijiao), sour soup fish (suantangyu), rice noodles (mifen), and beef noodles (niuroumian). The flavors were mostly Sichuan-style and tasted quite good. For people who are busy with work and not good at cooking, these seasoning packets help them make a delicious meal in a short time. These packets are very popular with fast food and snack shops.











Maru Japanese Cuisine



You can find halal restaurants everywhere in Zhengzhou. Besides Henan-style food, there are many restaurants with regional specialties. Some of these are hard to find even in Beijing, such as halal snail rice noodles (luosifen), Cantonese tea restaurants, and Chaoshan beef ball hot pot. Our trip to Zhengzhou this time is mainly to eat at these specialty restaurants.



This Japanese restaurant is run by a family of three Hui Muslims in Zhengzhou, with the son and his parents all busy cooking.



The small shop has been open for over a year. On the left, there is a tatami area where you must take off your shoes and put on shoe covers to sit. On the right, there is a bar counter.



Sea snail with wasabi

The owners insist on cooking everything fresh to order, so the food comes out slowly. If you are not in a rush, you can take your time and enjoy it.



Sashimi platter with salmon, arctic sweet shrimp, and arctic surf clam



Foie gras nigiri



Sushi



Miso soup



Eel rice bowl (unagi don)

While we were eating Japanese food at the shop, my student was still in class at the hotel. She could not use her phone during class and could not order delivery, so I packed a seafood sashimi rice bowl and brought it to her. She received this treat at 10 p.m. and was deeply moved.



Address: Exit A of Wuyi Park Station on Metro Line 1/5, 1st Floor, Shop 104, Shengrun Jinxiu City West Plaza.

Chaoshan Dingji Fresh Beef Hot Pot.



Chaoshan beef hot pot is a specialty of the Chaoshan region in Guangdong. I only had a halal version once in Dachang, but it was not as good as the shops in Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou actually has several halal Chaoshan hot pot brands, and they are even chain stores. We also found halal Cantonese-style hot pot (dabanlu) in Zhengzhou. I had this in Beijing before, but unfortunately, that shop closed down.





The kitchen is open and bright, showing the cooking process on the spot.





Drink the soup before eating the meat; this is the correct way to eat it that the server taught me.







The cooking time for each type of meat is measured in seconds.







Address: 50 meters north of the intersection of Zijingshan Road and Shangcheng Road, on the west side of the road.

Zhenguang Yuguang Cantonese Roast Goose.



I went to Guangzhou and Zhaoqing on business last month, but I did not get enough roast goose. I want to satisfy my craving in Zhengzhou this time because I cannot find roast goose once I return to Beijing.



Drink the soup before the meal; this soup is complimentary. The owner learned that one of our team members is from Zhoukou and is also a Hui Muslim from Zhoukou. He got the idea to make halal roast goose while working in Jiangmen, Guangdong.



Roast goose (shaoe) and white-cut chicken (baiqieji) are classic Cantonese dishes, and this place makes them taste very authentic.





The owner also recommended we try the crispy roast baby pigeon (cuipi kaoruge), which has delicious, crunchy skin. They offer boxed takeout, so I naturally had to get a portion for my apprentice.





Address: 322 Fengtai Road, Er Mingpin Store, First Floor, Unit 6.

Yang's Hand-Pulled Noodles and Braised Noodles (Yangji lamian huimian).



Most of the girls in my group are from the south and don't care for wheat-based foods, so we didn't try braised noodles (huimian) on this Zhengzhou trip. I ate at this shop during a previous visit to Zhengzhou; even though it is called Yang's, they actually serve He's Braised Noodles (Heji huimian).



Henan hand-pulled noodles (lamian) are different from those in the northwest. They are a blend of Central Plains and northwest styles, with more complex soup bases and ingredients.



Address: 100 meters east of the intersection of Qinling Road and Ruhe Road, on the south side of the street.

Jinxiang Sizzling Pot Fish (Jinxiang qiangguoyu).



Jinxiang Sizzling Pot Fish is a brand from Xi'an that opened a branch in Zhengzhou. The space is a full 3,000 square meters. During the meal, the servers perform a group dance to entertain guests, which is quite a unique idea, though we found it a bit awkward to watch.



With sizzling pot fish, you eat the fish first, then add broth to cook meat. A branch once opened in Beijing, but it closed after a short time.



Address: 2nd Floor, East Side, No. 15, 21st Century Building, West Street.

Yao Family Beef and Mutton Spicy Soup (hulatang) in Xiaoyao Town.



Xiaoyao Town Spicy Soup (hulatang) is a classic version of Henan spicy soup. Xiaoyao Town is in Zhoukou City. The heat in the soup comes from black pepper, not chili peppers. In Henan, people eat this soup for breakfast, and it is usually only served in the morning. You should pair it with pan-fried buns (shuijianbao).





Address: Units 9-11, 1st Floor, Building 3, Peichangmiao Street.

Ma's Fresh Whole Lamb Soup (yangtang).



Besides spicy soup, Henan breakfast also includes lamb soup (yangtang). You can add meatballs or shredded flatbread to the lamb soup. The soup is milky white and served plain without salt, so you need to add salt or other seasonings yourself.



Address: 50 meters south of the intersection of Yihe Road and Qinling Road.

Fang Zhongshan Spicy Soup (hulatang).



Fang Zhongshan is famous in Zhengzhou, but many local Zhengzhou people I know do not like it. They think their spicy soup has an unusual taste and is surprisingly spicy, which they call "xinqiu la" in the Henan dialect.



I have had Fang Zhongshan many times. It is indeed very spicy. I never finish a bowl, but I still want to try it every time. All Fang Zhongshan shops are very busy, and the main store always has a line. You have to admit that from a business perspective, Fang Zhongshan is a success.



Address: Intersection of Zijingshan Road and Shunhe Road.

We did not eat halal snail rice noodles (luosifen) on this trip because my teammates refused to try them, and I did not want to go alone. We also found halal tea restaurants, Western restaurants, chicken pot (jigongbao), hot dry noodles (reganmian), and charcoal pot fish in Zhengzhou. I will visit them if I have the chance in the future, Insha'Allah. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Henan halal food map follows Hui Muslim restaurants and local dishes across Henan, including beef soup, noodles, snacks, and city food stops preserved from the original guide.

A single long WeChat post is not enough to fully introduce the halal food of the Great Central Plains. Historically, the food culture of the Central Plains has influenced all of China. This region is one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Most of the ancient figures we learned about in school were from Henan. You could say Henan is a concentrated version of China, and you can find halal versions of all kinds of food here.

First stop: Zhengzhou

Fang Zhongshan Spicy Soup (hulatang)

The famous Fang Zhongshan Spicy Soup is a must-eat every time I come to Zhengzhou. Spicy soup is the breakfast of choice for people in Henan. Fang Zhongshan is arguably the most popular spicy soup shop in Zhengzhou. It is more expensive and spicier than the average spicy soup, but it is very popular. You even have to wait in line to drink it early in the morning.









Address: Zijingshan Road, Zhengdong New District

2. Qingyan Xiaoyao Town Spicy Soup

Xiaoyao Town is the most famous place for selling spicy soup outside of its home. If you are not used to the strong flavor of Fang Zhongshan, you can try the Xiaoyao Town Spicy Soup. Pair it with pan-fried buns (jianbao) and fried dough fritters (youmotou). It is very fragrant and delicious.







Address: 10 meters east of the intersection of Tongle Road and Huanghe South Street, north side of the road (next to Chaifu Dumplings)

3. Heji Braised Noodles (huimian)

Braised noodles are to Henan what beef noodles are to Lanzhou. Heji Braised Noodles is considered a famous Chinese snack. Locals give it mixed reviews, but I have tried a few braised noodle shops, and I think this one tastes pretty good. It is quite crowded when you go at noon.





Address: 200 meters south of the intersection of Dongfeng East Road and Zhongyi Road, Jinshui District, east side of the road

4. Zhenwei-Hongyuanzhai Restaurant

This is a large halal restaurant that serves various stir-fried dishes and roast duck. The food is quite refined, and they have several branches in Zhengzhou.









Address: Intersection of Shinan Road and Lianhua Street, High-tech Development Zone, Zhongyuan District (opposite the Boiler Factory)

5. Zhecheng Stacked Lamb (duozi yangrou)

Stacked lamb is made by boiling the lamb, pressing it into a solid block, and then slicing it to eat with steamed buns or flatbread. Eating stacked lamb and beef is very popular in Henan.







Address: 57-19 Chengdongnan Road

6. Tongshengxiang

You can eat Xi'an-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) here. Perhaps due to the local environment, the taste changes when a Xi'an shop opens in Zhengzhou. Similarly, when Zhengzhou braised noodles are opened elsewhere, they do not taste as good as they do locally.





Address: Southeast corner of the intersection of Hanghai Road and Zhongzhou Avenue, Guancheng Hui District (southeast corner of Zhongzhou Avenue intersection)

7. Yisai Mansion

You can eat halal steak in the Zhengdong New District. Yisai beef is very famous. The environment here is nice, the prices are not expensive, and there is a self-service fruit salad and snack platter.









Address: 3rd Floor, Dennis, CBD, Zhengzhou East District

Second stop: Kaifeng

Wuyi Night Market

Kaifeng is less than an hour's drive from Zhengzhou, and people say the two cities will soon merge. Kaifeng has many night markets with so many snacks that they rival the Hui Muslim Street in Xi'an. They feel even more traditional. You can eat beef tripe skewers (shuan niudu), almond tea (xingren cha), soup-filled buns (guantangbao), flatbread (luomo), and lamb offal soup (yangza tang) every day without getting tired of them.













Address: Wuyi Road, Kaifeng City

2. Little Fatty Beef (Xiaofeiniu) Buffet Hot Pot

This buffet hot pot is quite affordable. It has a wide variety of seafood and meat, plus unlimited bottled drinks.









Address: No. 79 Xinsong Road, Shunhe Hui District (200 meters west of the south entrance of Laodong Road, on the south side of the street)

3. Wife's Braised Noodles and Braised Flatbread (Laopo Huimian Huimo)

They sell various Kaifeng snacks here, including sweet rice (tianfan) and stacked beef (duozi niurou).











Address: 200 meters south of the intersection of the middle section of Zhongshan Road and Baogonghu South Road

4. Around Kaifeng East Great Mosque (Dongdasi)

The East Great Mosque is the largest mosque in Kaifeng. The streets are full of halal snack shops. Famous Kaifeng halal snacks also include barrel chicken (tongziji) and peanut brittle (huashengsu).





Address: Near Chunping North and South Streets

Third Stop: Xuchang City

Dongyishun Restaurant

Dongyishun is a fairly large halal chain brand. The dipping sauce tastes slightly different from the ones in Beijing because they add dried shrimp skin. You can also try their snacks.











Address: Intersection of Xinxing Road and Xingye Road, Weidu District

Fourth Stop: Yuzhou City

Qingdao Ma Family Halal Seafood Hot Pot

Yuzhou is a county-level city under Xuchang. There are many Hui Muslims here, and there is a wide variety of halal restaurants. This seafood hot pot place is quite unique.











Address: West of the south gate of Pingshan Yongheyuan, Jianshe East Road

2. Guangba Sichuan Spicy Chicken Pot

I haven't had chicken pot hot pot since leaving Yuzhou. You eat the chicken pieces first, then add broth to start cooking vegetables. Locals like to cook instant noodles in it and pair it with a local cola called Yinmei Koule. This drink is incredibly popular locally and even outsells Coca-Cola.









Address: 70 meters west of the intersection of Huaxia Avenue and Fuxi Road, Yuzhou City, on the south side of the street

Stop 5: Pingdingshan City

1. Halal Yanbin Restaurant

There are not many halal restaurants in Pingdingshan. This one is relatively large and serves Henan-style food, including sweet rice (tianfan) and lamb bones (yanggutou).









Address: 50 meters west of the Mediterranean, 28 Nanhuan Road, Pingdingshan City

Stop 6: Jiaozuo City

Yili Three-Fresh Braised Noodles City

The food style in Jiaozuo is similar to Zhengzhou, with braised noodles (huimian) as the main dish. This restaurant is quite large, and their three-fresh braised noodles are very good.





Address: 100 meters south of the intersection of Jiefang Road and Dongyuan Road, on the east side of the road

2. Tripe Shred Soup

This shop has no name and is just called Tripe Shred Soup (dusi tang). I consider it a local halal snack. It is only served for breakfast and comes with oil pancakes (youbing), which are actually griddle-baked pancakes (laobing) in Jiaozuo.





Address: Southeast of Jiaozuo Railway Station, walk through a vegetable market, the shop is on the east side of the road

Stop 7: Jiyuan City

Xiajie Hui Muslim Commercial Street

When you come to Jiyuan, just go to the Hui Muslim Commercial Street to eat. You can find all kinds of local snacks, such as clay pot mixed stew (shaguo zaban), steamed buns (baozi), lamb soup (yangtang), and sesame flatbread (shaobing). They are delicious, affordable, and come in large portions.













Address: Xiajie, Jiyuan (intersection of Minzu Road and Beihai Avenue)

Stop 8: Sangpo Village

As one of the wealthiest Hui Muslim villages in Henan, Sangpo surprisingly lacks decent halal restaurants. Perhaps the local Hui Muslims are all busy running their sheepskin shearing businesses.

There is a market at the entrance of the village where you can stroll at night to eat roasted lamb leg. Since the people in Sangpo process snow boots for Australian UGG, the lamb leg you eat might even be imported from Australia.









Address: North entrance of Sangpo Village, Mengzhou City

Stop 9: Luoyang City

Stir-fried Lamb in 6 Minutes

Luoyang has a lot of good food, mostly concentrated in the Hui Muslim district. The stir-fried lamb in six minutes is eaten like roast duck, wrapped in thin pancakes (baobing). It is very satisfying, and after you finish, you can add soup to the pot to cook more meat.









Address: No. 257 Qiming East Road, Chanhe Hui Muslim District, Luoyang

2. Yuxiuzhai

This is a fairly large halal restaurant. I only ate breakfast here. People in Luoyang drink beef soup in the morning and add meatballs. These meatballs are unique to Henan and are a dry food that Hui Muslims often carry when they travel.







Address: 243 Qiming East Road, Chanhe Hui District, Luoyang.

I only made short stops in Nanyang and Xinyang and did not find any halal restaurants worth recommending, though I did pass by a halal hot pot restaurant in Nanyang.

Wang Family Hot Pot (Wangjia Shuairou) on He Street in Nanyang.



Address: 30 meters south of the intersection of Zhongjing South Road and Xinhua East Road, on the west side of the road.

Xinyang is known for hot dry noodles (reganmian). Many people think these are a Wuhan snack, but people in Xinyang love them too, and Xinyang's version was even featured on the show A Bite of China. However, they are not halal. Following a local recommendation, I tried the Xinyang specialty pot-lid bread (diguomo), which was soft and delicious. Inshallah, I will explore this place more thoroughly next time. view all