Romancing the wild west

Bayi Laoye presents classic Xinjiang fare in glittering surroundings, Mike Peters reports.

Some of the most talked-about Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing are, well, kind of hole-in-the-wall places.

Everybody has a favorite, usually one where a migrant family works long hours to dish out savory lamb kebabs, pilaf and intriguingly scented tea. The food is cheap and delicious, the interior is colorful, fun but maybe a bit shabby, and if there's a toilet on the premises, it's best ignored unless nature's call is an emergency. Bigger establishments may have belly dancing at night.