Hongbinlou Restaurant

The Hongbinlou Restaurant, which in 1955 moved to Beijing from Tianjin at the request of former Premier Zhou Enlai, is a century-old Muslim restaurant that serves what have been described as “the best Muslim dishes in Beijing.” The menu of the Hongbinlou Restaurant never disappoints its fans. The halls of the restaurant never yield a hollow sound, in part, because in addition to its fine food, Hongbinlou is also associated with the observance of traditional Chinese customs. The Muslim-styled yuanxiao (sweet-filled rice dumplings) of another traditional holiday, the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiaojie), and mooncakes (yuebing) of the Mid-autumn Festival (Zhongqiujie) are welcomed by Muslims and non-Muslims.

Locals favor Hongbinlou for more than its century-old brand; its dishes are renowned far and wide. Among them, the Muslim Yuanbao dishes are some of the most favored and renowned, as with its yuan bao ji si (芫爆鸡丝),quick-fried chick slices with caraway. It tastes tender, and stimulates the appetite without being greasy. Famous Muslim dishes such as roasted whole sheep (kaoquanyang), hot pot and roast mutton are also popular among Beijingers and visitors from home and abroad.

While maintaining the local flavor of its dishes, Hongbinlou has also expanded its fare to more trendy cuisines. The restaurant is offering more dishes with less oil and fat and a lighter taste. Dishes with medical functions, such as soups and congees, have been developed by skilful chefs.