Lamb is the backbone of Muslim food fest

As millions of Muslims in China this month were celebrating the Eid al-Fitr, the festival that ends the holy month of daily fasting and spiritual reflection, the eighth annual Muslim Fare Festival kicked off in Beijing and continues through Aug 18. Famous eateries and vendors on Niu Jie (Ox Street), the oldest Muslim area in Beijing, are selling food and other goods at promotional prices, according to Duan Kaiyun, secretary-general with the Beijing Cuisine Association, a primary organizer of the festival.

Since last year, the celebration has stretched north out of the Niu Jie area to Red Willow Grilled Lamb Spine Restaurant, a Muslim restaurant near the 4th Ring Road. It was among the first to introduce to Beijing diners the original naan pit barbecue from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a baking tradition that goes back more than 500 years. Naan, a crusty flat bread, perfectly complements grilled lamb and beef, Duan says.

Red Willow, which started as a small takeaway six years ago, began serving diners at tables and chairs in 2014, and it now hosts its grilled lamb spine festival as a part of the Muslim Fare Festival.