Eating at Beijing's Oldest Restaurants: A Culinary Adventure
This video documents a food adventure in Beijing, where the goal is to eat only at restaurants that are at least 100 years old. The journey explores historic cuisine, with some surprising results and a few potential disappointments along the way.
Exploring Old Beijing
Beijing is a city with a rich history, serving as the capital of China for 700 years. The area within the second ring road encompasses the old city, home to historical landmarks like the Forbidden City and numerous traditional restaurants. This exploration focuses on these establishments, delving into Beijing's culinary heritage.
Breakfast at Men Kuang Hutong Bai Nian Luzhu
The first stop is Men Kuang Hutong Bai Nian Luzhu, established in 1876, known for its signature dish, Luzhu. Luzhu, or pork stew, consists of bread, tofu, and various pork offal stewed in a rich broth.
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The dish is prepared fresh with ingredients like flavorful bread, tofu, large intestine, and pork lung.
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A generous amount of garlic and coriander is added on top.
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The broth is rich, almost gravy-like, with a balance of meatiness, saltiness, and sweetness.
The dish's origins trace back to the Qing Dynasty Imperial Kitchen, where a version with pork belly was served to the emperor. The public adapted it using cheaper cuts of meat like intestine and lungs. The presenter noted that while some find the odour strong, they found it pleasant, with a sweet, garlicky aroma. Baijiu was recommended by a local to drink together with the Luzhu.
Snack at Liu Quan Ju Fan Zhuang
Next is Liu Quan Ju Fan Zhuang, a restaurant with around 400 years of history dating back to 1567. While the restaurant primarily serves Shandong cuisine, the focus here is on a red bean bun, or dou sha bao.
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The dou sha bao is a popular snack at the restaurant.
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The bun is filled generously with red bean paste.
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The taste is described as being on the borderline between savory and sweet.
The presenter found the dou sha bao a bit confusing, suggesting it needed to decide if it was sweet or savory.
Lunch at Fangshan Restaurant in Beihai Park
Lunch takes place at Fangshan Restaurant, located inside Beihai Park. The restaurant was opened in 1925 by a former chef of the Qing Imperial Kitchen, serving dishes once enjoyed by the emperor.
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The restaurant's decor is extravagant, with yellow colors traditionally reserved for the emperor.
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The tableware is sourced from Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital, and is identical to what the emperor used.
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The menu features Imperial Cuisine, with over 800 dishes.
The first dish sampled is yun dou juan, or kidney bean roll, a favorite of Empress Dowager Cixi. The presenter noted that the dish reminded them of wandouhuang, another dish associated with Empress Cixi. However, the presenter found this more favorable. Another dish sampled at this location was roumo huoshao or minced meat with baked bread. The Empress also had a dream about this dish and it was presented to her by her chef the next day. The presenter like this dish more, giving it a thumbs up.
Dinner at Zhi Mei Lou
The final stop is Zhi Mei Lou, founded in 1842, one of the few remaining "Ba Da Lou" (eight big restaurants) specializing in Shandong cuisine. The signature dish is "one fish cooked four ways."
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The dish includes fried fish, sweet and sour deep-fried fish, soy-braised fish head, and fish slices in rice wine.
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The presenter found the song shu yu, or sweet and sour deep-fried fish, a bit disappointing, tasting like ketchup.
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Other variations were found to be overly starchy and sweet, differing from typical Shandong cuisine.
Overall, the presenter found the dish a little disappointing and too sweet, contrasting with the expected salty, soy sauce flavors of Shandong cuisine.
Final Thoughts
The food adventure revealed a mix of hits and misses when exploring Beijing's oldest restaurants. Despite the mixed reviews, the experience was considered worthwhile, providing a unique glimpse into the city's culinary history and a new appreciation for the insta360 X4. The presenter's favorite dish of the day was the Luzhu.
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