so i was reading the recommendations for "best dumpling places" earlier and i couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. Other than baoyuan, none of the other places even deserves a mention. That said, Xian Lao Man should absolutely be there!
We can talk about he fancy restaurants, exquisite molecular cuisine, foies gras and whatever other delicacies we’re heard of lately…. but sometimes, nothing beats the a simple dish done right… That’s what Xian Lao Man 馅老满 is good at. Day in and day out, Gulou’s best secret that everyone knows, is full of locals soaking up the dumplings, tea, gongbao jiding, and other jia chang cai done amazingly well. (Note: The restaurant has 5 branches is Beijing but this review covers the one on Andingmen)
As far as dumpling options, the sky is the limit… they list a huge variety of combos, classics and weird, but nothing stops you from ordering your own creation: Yangrou Dacong 羊肉大葱 (lamb and chives) is just as acceptable as Huluobe Jidan 胡萝卜鸡蛋 （carrot and egg). Another favorite of mine is the Huluobo Xiangcai Dong Doufu 胡萝卜香菜冻豆腐 ( cilantro, carrot and Tofu)…
Sure, the noodles are the stars of the show but do not discount the rest of their goodies… the staff at Xian Lao Man can rock some pretty darn good dishes. How about a special version of a gongbao Jiding 宫保鸡丁 using dark meat? oh yeah.. pretty rocking! The madoufu 羊油麻豆腐, that venerable Beijing snack made from mung bean pulp fried in lamb fat and spiced up is often cited as one of the better ones in the city.
I could go on raving about this little gem or maybe better just leave it up to you! As far as I am concerned, it’s one of the top restaurants in Beijing value wise, especially for dumplings.
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