Gourmet Guide to Xi'an - Part 3

This is my third and last article on the fascinating food scene at Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, the birthplace of traditional Chinese-cross-Middle-Eastern fusion cuisine. For the past 1,500 years, delicate Chinese cooking methods have intermingled with the bold spices and ingredients from the Near East in this ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty. The result, for modern day foodies like myself at least, is an explosion of unique flavors hidden deep in the Muslim Quarter's 100-plus-year-old recipes and locally-famous little shops.

As usual, most restaurants reviewed are marked and numbered on the map below.

MAP LEGEND:
1.LAO MI JIA (stir-fried unleavened bread in mutton broth)
2.HONG HONG (Halal lamb skewers and fried rice)
3.BIANG BIANG MIAN (sheet noodles in specialty 3-in-1 sauce)
4.SUN JIA (meatballs and vegetables in spicy soup)
5.JIA SAN (soup dumplings and best plum juice ever)
6.SHENG ZHI WANG (cold noodles in sesame paste)
7.ZHAO JIA BAO (rose-honey flavored glutinous rice cakes)
8.QING ZHEN SHAO JI (Halal roasted free-range chicken)


5. JIA SAN -- EXCELLENT PLUM-HAWTHORN JUICE AND SOUP-FILLED DUMPLINGS

Food Review: JIA SAN (Muslim Quarter, Xi'an)
Address: Beiyuanmen 93, Beilinqu, Xi'an
Hours: 08:00-22:00
Website/Map: From Dianping.com (in Chinese)
Directions: See location #5 on my Xi'an Gourmet Map. Start from the Drum Tower and head north on Bei Yuan Men. It's on the right hand side.


Walking along the Muslim Quarter's main drag, chances are you'll come across a huge queue of locals and multi-national tourists alike winding in front of the colourful facade of a multi-level restaurant. This place has become so legendary among visitors, both Chinese and international, that it has probably become one of the famous landmarks of central Xi'an after the Drum Tower and Bell Tower. Call it touristy and overrated, but you can hardly get through the Muslim Quarter without making your way past the queue at the crowded Jia San.

Jia San has become incredibly famous for one simple dish -- its scaldingly hot, soup-filled dumplings in bamboo steamers, known as Guan Tang Bao Zi. The concept of a liquid soup filling inside a thin dumpling skin is of course not a Xi'an invention -- the Cantonese have their Kwun Tong Gau (the real traditional type that arrives in a steamer instead of a bowl!), and the Shanghainese in particular have successfully introduced Xiao Long Bao (known overseas as XLB Dumplings) to the rest of world. So what distinguishes Jia San's Guan Tang Bao Zi from the XLB Dumplings of Shanghai/Taiwan? That's what we're here to find out.



All of Jia San's floors were swarming with crowds when we arrived at 19:30 on a busy Saturday. We were promptly herded to second floor, to a rowdy, almost cafeteria-like dining hall with long stainless steel tables filled mostly by local families. The two of us shared a table with a 3-generation family on our right, and a young couple across from us. Everyone ordered at the counter and brought the receipt back to the table, hoping that meandering (and occasionally confused) servers would somehow spot the receipt and deliver the right items as they came off the stove. We almost had a receipt with two outstanding items snatched by a sloppy server -- do keep one eye on your receipt while you're staring down your mountains of dumplings.



We ordered three steamers of soup dumplings for the two of us, which seemed to be the norm judging by our neighboring tables. Everything arrived steaming hot as expected, and the only way to avoid scalding our tongues was to bite off the top of each dumpling to let the soup cool slightly. That simple task turned out to be a severe test of our chopstick skills as the dumplings skins were extremely thin and fragile (Note: both of us have been lifelong chopsticks users). One local middle-aged mom at our table watched in amusement as we perfected our method of employing a side-to-side rocking motion to peel the dumpling off the straw steamer mat and into a spoon -- she attempted to teach us her ways of air-lifting dumplings with her killer chopstick techniques, and failed miserably with juices leaking all over. At this point I noticed the first major difference between these Guan Tang Bao Zi dumplings compared to Shanghai's XLB Dumplings -- the dumpling skins are a little stickier and tougher to transfer to the mouth intact. Not sure if this is what we should expect, or if the chefs were just taking on a new apprentice.

Nitpicking aside, the essence of all soup dumplings is of course the soup stock, typically gelatinized with a pork-skin- or agar-based mixture and carefully wrapped inside the dough skin for steaming. Out of the three flavors we ordered, the unassuming San Xian (literally "Three Delicacies" -- pork, shrimp and leeks) turned out best with the leeks adding to the flavors of a decent soup stock. Considering the Chinese-Muslim roots of this restaurant, I actually had higher expectations for the lamb dumplings, which were frankly quite average. The ox tail dumplings, with the inclusion of some beef tendons, was a better choice.

The verdict? This may be somewhat unfair, but we can only compare Jia San's Guan Tang Bao Zi against the Shanghai-style XLB Dumplings that we've had in the past. Perhaps it was an off night for the chefs at Jia San, but I certainly expected more from one of Xi'an's most famous restaurant's most famous dish. Both the soup and the fillings were mostly above average, but I've had better XLB Dumplings, in and outside of China.

If this review ended with the dumplings I would have discouraged everyone from visiting. But as we discovered, Jia San's heralded dumplings, with all its accolades and fame, should really take a backseat to these two excellent items ...



Introducing our favorite dish at Jia San: Ba Bao Tian Xi Fan -- literally Sweet Rice Porridge with 8 Treasures. I can't figure out why this isn't more famous than the dumplings, as it is a wonderfully refreshing dessert in the fine traditon of Chinese sweet soups. I did not count the 8 treasures, but from memory there were all kinds of raisins, Goji berries, lotus seeds, lily roots, and of course traditionally flavored with the highly fragrant Osmanthus flower. For a mere RMB 4 (CAD$0.6) this was easily the best dish.



But that's still not our NUMBER ONE recommendation at Jia San, which belongs to a take-out drink known as Shan Zha Wu Mei Tang, or Hawthorn and Black Plum Juice. Virtually every single table ordered a few cup of these drinks, which seemed to be prepared and packaged in-house and sold to both restaurant patrons and pedestrians walking by for RMB 2 (CAD$0.3). This was by far the best plum juice both of us have ever had, with the hawthorn fruit adding a woody, unmistakably Chinese dimension to complement the sweet plum. In fact we made at least one more trip back to Jia San later that week, just to get another cup for take-out. It was that good.

To conclude, Jia San is worth the visit if you're coming to Xi'an, but not necessarily for its dumplings. My recommendations, in order of preference, are:
1. Hawthorn-Plum Juice
2. Sweet Rice Porridge with 8 Treasures
3. Soup Dumplings in San Xian flavor

Bill for Two Persons

Soup Dumplings (Lamb)	RMB 12
Soup Dumplings (San Xian)	RMB 12
Soup Dumplings (Ox Tail)	RMB 16
Sweet Porridge with 8 treasures	RMB 4
Plum-Hawthorn Juice	RMB 2
TOTAL	RMB 46 (CAD$7)

6. SHENG ZHI WANG -- COLD NOODLES IN SESAME PASTE

Food Review: SHENG ZHI WANG (Muslim Quarter, Xi'an)
Address: Dapiyuan 225, Linhuqu, Xi'an
Hours: 08:00 until sold out (~11am)
Website/Map: From Dianping.com (in Chinese)
Directions: See location #6 on my Xi'an Gourmet Map. Start from the Drum Tower and walk north to the Pailou (archway) at the end of Bei Yuan Men. Turn left on Dapiyuan. Sheng Zhi Wang is at the end of the block on the right side.


One of the favorite breakfast/lunch items of the Xi'an locals is a dish of udon-like noodles mixed with a addictively rich sesame paste, known as Ma Jiang Niang Pi.

The Niang Pi noodles (also called Liangpi or even Rangpi, depending on locality) is not exclusively a Xi'an invention -- multiple locales in Northwest China from Shaanxi to Gansu to Qinghai claim these ubiquitous noodles as their own. But what sets Xi'an's Niang Pi apart is the signature sesame paste Xi'an's Chinese-Muslims love. If you're fan of the deep aroma of ground sesame there's no better place than the Muslim Quarter, and within the Muslim Quarter there's no Ma Jiang Niang Pi shop more famous than the venerable, 100-plus-year-old Sheng Zhi Wang.



For a taste of Sheng Zhi Wang's sesame paste you have to arrive early, as the shop closes once its daily portion is all sold out. I once passed by the shop at 15:00 in the afternoon and found it closed, so it's probably safer to arrive before noon. The shop itself is quite simple: a handful of tables, a counter where the order is taken, and walls plastered with photos of various politicians and foreign TV crews visiting the place. There's no English menu, but you really don't need one since they sell only two items -- Ma Jiang Niang Pi (Cold Noodles with Sesame Paste, RMB 4), and Suan Mei Tang (plum juice, RMB 2).



This secret-recipe sesame paste was definitely the thickest and most flavorful I've ever tasted, complemented by more sesame oil and a heavy dose of chili paste. The noodles looked and tasted remarkably similar to, though wasn't quite as chewy as, the more familiar udon. While I ordered mine with everything on, my wife skipped the chili and it just didn't taste the same. For the full experience I recommend that you at least mix a small amount of chili into your sesame paste, whether you're a fan of spicy food or not.

Our authentically filling breakfast, drinks and all, cost a bargain-bottom RMB 10 (CAD$1.5) for two persons. As we were savoring the sesame paste, scores of sandal-clad locals emerged from neighborhood and lined up at the counter for take-outs. It's hard to go wrong with an authentic, tried and proven local favorite. It has been here for the past hundred years, and by its current popularity it is quite conceivable that it will still be standing for the next hundred.

Bill for Two Persons

Cold Noodles in Sesame Paste	RMB 4
Cold Noodles in Sesame Paste	RMB 4
Plum Juice	RMB 2
TOTAL	RMB 10 (CAD$1.5)

7. ZHAO JIA BAO -- ROSE-HONEY FLAVORED GLUTINOUS RICE DESSERTS

Food Review: ZHAO JIA BAO (Muslim Quarter, Xi'an)
Address: Mobile stall on Xiyangshi street, Xi'an
Hours: approx 08:00 until sold out
Website/Map: From Dianping.com (in Chinese)
Directions: See location #7 on my Xi'an Gourmet Map. Start from the Drum Tower and head north on Bei Yuan Men street. Turn left on Xi Yang Shi street. Look for a mobile stand with the lady in the photo below.


One of my wife's favorite memories of Xi'an was a luscious box of take-out dessert from this little stand in the Muslim Quarter.

Though it may look like just another anonymous vendor, this unassuming roadside stall is arguably one of the city's most influential eateries, and the object of constant visits from TV stations and magazines. In fact many visitors to Xi'an have tasted these desserts without knowing, as their workshop supplies many of the city's top restaurants, including the tourist favorites Lao Sun Jia and Tong Sheng Xiang. But to get it straight (and cheap!) from the one and only official outlet ... that's why we made sure to visit Ms. Zhao at her stall.

And Ms. Zhao here was well aware of her own fame, and asked whether we'd seen her on TV or on Internet. I assume she's also aware of the potential to hike prices, but her famous boxed desserts still remained at RMB 5 (CAD$0.8) per order as of 2011.



Zhao Jia Bao sells nothing but pounded glutinous rice desserts in two equally delicious forms -- the Zongzi with a sweet red bean paste filling and sesame crust, and the plain Liang Gao with red bean paste on top. Both are finished with a drizzle of the customer's favorite dressing -- we chose the traditional rose-honey.

The result was the most delectable, chewy glutinous rice cake topped with velvety creamed red bean AND swimming in rose-water-infused honey. It was easily one of the best desserts of our entire trip.

If you're as big a dessert fan as my wife, perhaps you too should visit Zhao Jia Bao's little stall on Xi Yang Shi street in the Muslim Quarter. Take note though that there's another dessert stall right next to it -- Zhao Jia Bao's stall is typically on the left (east) side.

Bill for Two Persons

Rose-Honey Liang Gao + Zongzi (half and half)	RMB 5
TOTAL	RMB 5 (CAD$0.8)

8. QING ZHEN SHAO JI -- HALAL ROASTED FREE-RANGE CHICKEN

Food Review: QING ZHEN SHAO JI (Muslim Quarter, Xi'an)
Address: On Bei Guang Ji street near Xiyangshi street, Xi'an
Hours: 08:00 until sold out (approx 16:00)
Website/Map: None
Directions: See location #8 on my Xi'an Gourmet Map. Walk north on Bei Guang Ji street past Xiyangshi street. It's a little stall on the left hand side.


One of our favorite discoveries in the Muslim Quarter was this little stall near the northwest corner of Bei Guang Ji street and Xi Yang Shi street. The shop seemed to have no formal name, and sold one and only one item. The most reliable way to recognize this stall, aside from comparing with the above photo, is to ask around (or to randomly look) for these super lean, yellow-skinned Qing Zhen Shao Ji, or Halal roasted chicken.



My wife has always been a huge fan of China's chicken for its tenderness of texture and its intense flavor, and came up with this great idea of wrapping a whole Halal chicken back to the hotel for dinner. Perhaps it's the bloodline, but there's something very special about the flavor of chicken bred in China. Compared to the meatier but relatively bland chicken I usually get in Canada and the U.S., China's chicken tend to be much leaner, with a softer, more delicate texture and a slightly gamey taste. It's always one of the must-order items whenever we visit China or Hong Kong.

If memory serves me right we picked the one on the left, a lean, golden roasted bird weighing slightly over 1kg. The price was RMB 18 per Jin, a Chinese unit of weight equivalent to 500g, which was not exactly cheap for an informal-looking roadside stand.



It was definitely worth it -- flavorful, very juicy, and definitely free-range judging from hardness of the bones. This was precisely why we booked our hotel as close as possible to the Muslim Quarter.



We also came across the perfect beer to wash down any oily food, a quaint local beer deriving its bitterness not from hops, but from Chinese bitter melon. This was widely available at local supermarkets for about 2 or 3 RMB.

Bill for Two Persons

Roasted Free-Range Chicken (RMB 18/500g)	RMB 37
TOTAL	RMB 37 (CAD$5.6)

9. ZI WU LU ZHANG JI -- XI'AN'S SPECIALTY PULLED PORK SANDWICH

Food Review: ZI WU LU ZHANG JI (Near Great Goose Pagoda, Xi'an)
Address: Cui Hua Lu 227, Yantaqu, Xi'an
Hours: 10:00 to 21:00
Website/Map: From Dianping.com (in Chinese)
Directions: Start from either Shaanxi History Museum or the Great Goose Pagoda's water fountain. Walk along Xiao Zhai Dong Lu to Cui Hua Lu (walk east from the Museum, or west from the Pagoda). Walk south on Cui Hua Lu for about 5 minutes. It's a little shop of the left hand side, just south of the primary school.


Even though I have only one photo of this place, I feel that I should give a brief review of Zi Wu Lu Zhang Ji, widely reputed to be one of the two or three best eateries for one of Xi'an's most famous dishes, a Chinese sandwich known as Rou Jia Mo. Besides, this is a great place for a cheap lunch for anyone visiting the Great Goose Pagoda or the Shaanxi History Museum, two of Xi'an's popular tourist attractions.

Considered THE quintessential fast food by Xi'an locals, Rou Jia Mo's popularity here probably eclipses all of McDonald's, KFC and Dairy Queen combined, judging from the number of Rou Jia Mo shops around every street corner. I chose this location for review due to its proximity from both the Great Goose Pagoda and the Shaanxi History Museum, and the fact that this location has two of Xi'an's best Rou Jia Mo shops competing side-by-side. If one burger isn't enough to satisfy your appetite, there's a Fan Ji Rou Jia Mo next door.

Photographed is a Youzhi (premium) Rou Jia Mo, a fresh-off-the-oven bun filled with a heaping portion of shredded pork meat and skin that had been slow-cooking in a decade-old soup stock for hours. So stuffed with meat that it's just impossible to avoid having juices dripping all over the plate, this version of Chinese burger was satisfyingly authentic, filling, but also very greasy. I followed the local practice of washing it down with a bottle of Ice Peak, an orange-flavored soft drink wildly popular in Xi'an.

I just realized that out of the 9 eateries reviewed in Xi'an, this is the only one of non-Muslim origin. If you come to Xi'an, remember to let your taste buds experience 1,500 years of cultural fusion between the Han Chinese and the Hui people (Chinese-Muslims).

Bill for One Person

Premium Rou Jia Mo	RMB 7
Ice Peak Soft Drink	RMB 1.5
TOTAL	RMB 8.5 (CAD$1.3)