Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING
This historic part of Běijīng has a fabulous range of dining options covering every type of Chinese cuisine, as well
as plenty of international places. It's also home to some of the capital's most atmospheric restaurants, from beauti-
fully converted courtyards to the many hole-in-the-wall establishments scattered throughout the local
hútòng
. The
Dōnghuámén Night Market draws tourists by the hundreds (both domestic and foreign) with its exotic insect and
lizard snacks and makes for a fun evening stroll even if you don't fancy the food on offer.
|CHINESE BĚIJĪNG
ZUǑ LÍN YÒU SHÈ$
( 50 Meishuguan Houjie, dumplings per liǎng ¥4-6, dishes ¥5-20; 11am-9.30pm; ; National Art Museum)
This small, no-nonsense, and often raucous restaurant focuses on Běijīng cuisine. Many of
the dishes in our Běijīng Menu box text can be found here, but the speciality is
dālian
huǒshāo
; golden-fried finger-shaped dumplings stuffed with all manner of savoury fillings;
we prefer the pork ones, but there are lamb, beef and veggie choices too. They are served
by the
liǎng
, with one
liǎng
equal to three dumplings, and you must order at least two
liǎng
(
èr liǎng
) of each filling to make it worth their while cooking a batch. Other special-
ities include the pickled fish (
sū jì yú
), the spicy tofu paste (
má dòufu
) and the deep-fried
pork balls (
gān zhá wánzi
), while filling bowls of millet porridge (
xiǎo mǐ zhōu
) are
served up for free. No English sign (look for the wooden signboard), and no English
spoken, but there is an English translation of the menu available.
COURTYARD$$$
|FUSION
( Sìhéyuàn; 6526 8883; 95 Donghuamen Dajie, mains ¥130-300, set menu ¥488; 6-10pm; ; Tian'anmen
East or Dengshikou)
Classy Courtyard enjoys a peerless location perched by the side of the moat
surrounding the Forbidden City. Romantics will need to book ahead to ensure they have
one of the cosy window tables that offer the best views. Forage to find the entrance (up the
steps curtained by fronds of bamboo). Inside, the menu is small but sumptuous and the
wine list impressive, while the basement houses a small art gallery.
CRESCENT MOON MUSLIM RESTAURANT$
( Xīnjiāng Wānwānyuèliàng Wéiwú'ěr Mùsīlín Cāntīng; 16 Dongsi Liutiao Hutong, dishes from ¥18; 10am-mid-
night; ; Dongsi Shitiao)
You can find a Chinese Muslim restaurant on almost every street
in Běijīng. Most are run by Huí Muslims, who are Han Chinese, rather than ethnic-minority
Uighurs from the remote western province of Xīnjiāng. The Crescent Moon, tucked away
down a
hútòng
off Dongsi Beidajie, is the real deal - owned and staffed by Uighurs, it at-
|CHINESE XĪNJIĀNG
