A Dash of Local Flavor

by Allan Smithee

B eijing cuisine is not usually thought of as one of China's major culinary styles. Ask most people what kind of food they associate with the capital, and the list is likely to start and stop at roast duck. At a pinch, they might cite a handful of street snacks.

The Tangenyuan Restaurant, however, has a menu of authentic Beijing dishes that stretches considerably further. And the local flavor is not just confined to the food - the Tangenyuan preserves several aspects of old-time culture that have won it immense popularity among many Beijingers. It is not unusual to see groups of twenty or thirty people arrive together for an evening's food and entertainment.

A fleet of rickshaw pullers stands by at the gate to ferry you the final fifty yards to the door, where a toothless old fellow in traditional garb waves you in with a high-pitched cry of welcome (think Peking opera and you have the idea).

Inside, a spacious hall heaves with noisy diners and rushing waiters in old-style outfits. After 6.45, a small stage at the far end hosts a procession of performers who serve up snippets of Peking opera, xiangsheng sketches (a kind of comic double-act utterly incomprehensible to foreigners), and acrobatics.

Beijing cooking is fairly simple, with very little in the way of strong flavors. If you're not keen on highly spiced styles such as Hunan and Sichuan, this may be just what you're looking for.

For openers we tried a small fish (men su yu) that had been fried and then pickled, so that the bones had softened to be easily edible. This was easily the highlight of the meal ?the flesh was a good texture and had a none-too-subtle but interesting flavor.

The niang mian jin was pork balls wrapped in a kind of dough that came in an oily sauce with a hint of sweetness. This was quite pleasant to start with, but treat it with care as it gets very filling very quickly. The chao qiezi pi (fried eggplant skin) was also interesting, but its strong vinegar element may not be to all tastes. If you're after something really different, try the luo bu gan chao mao dou (dried turnip fried with beans), whose mixture of flavors was quite unlike anything I'd encountered before. Much more accessible were the dun pai gu (stewed ribs), which were tender and tasty. Again, if you like your food simple, this is for you. I know people who swear by zha jiang mian ?thick lukewarm noodles into which you mix shredded cucumber and turnip, plus a kind of bean sauce. For others, it comes across as rather too bland. Basically, Beijing cai has something for everyone.

You may find Beijing sweets an acquired taste. Since it's Spring Festival time, give the seasonal nian gao a try; it's also worth ordering some ai wo wo, which are vaguely reminiscent of Turkish delight in taste.

Local girl Wu Yanfeng, a 29-year old computer specialist, said the food was completely by the by.

"Eating isn't important here," she said. "This place is just so great, so much fun. That's why people come."

The Tangenyuan is just a few steps north of the east gate of Ditan Park. Note that it only comes alive at nights; don't bother at lunchtime. The stage performances run from about 6.45 to 9.00.

Tel: 64283358

For more Beijing cuisine, try the following:

Jinghua Shiyuan

Location: No. 1, Longtan Lu

This features the capital's most complete variety of Beijing snacks, including some that are on the verge of dying out. The courtyard-style restaurant is on the shore of Longtan Lake. Aside from the food, its main claim to fame is that it has the world's biggest bronze kettle.

The Jinghua prides itself for carrying on the authentic flavor of traditional Beijing snacks and desserts, for example xiao zao liang gao (date jelly), zha su quan (fried veggie rounds), and jiang mi li (steamed glutinous rice with pear).

It also boasts Beijing's top douzhi (bean juice), a thick, strong and sour fluid that is definitely an acquired taste.

Sihexuan Food Street

Location: Fourth Floor, Jinglun Hotel, 3 Jianguomenwai Dajie

Besides Beijing food, snacks from all over China are on offer here. This is the only Beijing snack restaurant in the capital's star-rated hotels. The variety is not as complete as at the Jinghua, especially it doesn't serve the notorious douzhi.

Big Red Lantern

Restaurant

Location: South end of the Gulou Snack Street

This specializes in Beijing snacks. Its most famous items are dough slice soup (pian tang), dough drop soup (ge da tang), and turnip skin. Most of the customers here are old Beijingers, who come especially for a reminder of the tastes of their childhood. Please note that the location of the restaurant in the hutong makes it inconvenient if you find you need to go to the toilet !

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