(bjyouth.ynet.com)
Updated: 2007-11-23 10:27

Beijing's hutongs are known for their winding narrow paths and houses. With their delicately carved tiles, big red doors and stone lions, these unique buildings contain stories of many generations. But there's also some wonderful smells emanating from these hutongs. You can find some cozy eateries that may not be luxurious, but the food is irresistible.

*Xuxiangzhai

Located west of Yonghegong, or Dalai Lama Temple, Xuxiangzhai is a vegetarian eatery offering delicious dishes flavored with black pepper, chili, onion, ginger and garlic. There are a variety of dishes here cater all kinds of tastes. There are expensive icy vegetarian abalone, stewed eight precious mushrooms, sea cucumber as well as affordable vegetarian noodles priced at just several yuan.

Free soybean milk is offered every first and 15th day of each month. Soybean milk here is made from a secret recipe and contains not only the milk of soybeans but also some peanuts and walnuts.

Location: Jia No. 26-1, Guozijian Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 010-64046568 

*Suhuang Shitang

Although it's a bit small, Suhuang Shitang is clean and offers standard Shaanxi food. Paper-cuts and masks from the province hang on the wall creating an ambience of northwestern China and the shop owner and wait staff here are all Shaanxi people.

Recommended food is roujiamo (buns stuffed with meat). This is a commonly found Shaanxi snack which is available at many street stalls. Yet the roujiamo here is more succulent and the buns are crispier. Yangxue fensitang (mutton blood rice noodles soup) is spicy and tasty, and is a nice treat in the winter, which can effectively drive away the chilly weather.

The biggest selling point of this restaurant is sweet-scented osmanthus wine, which is a Shaanxi specialty and said to have originated in the Tang Dynasty. This wine, sweet and fragrant, tastes divine.

Location: No. 503, Dingfuzhuang Beijie, Chaoyang District
Tel: 010-65729797

   1 2   

   1 2