Beijing Snacks

Beijingers love their snacks and thanks to a courtyard restaurant near Houhai, a dozen of the capital's most famous eats have a new home. Time Out joins the queues of hungry hordes

A dozen of Beijing's oldest and most famous laozihao, or old brand name stores, some dating back more than a century, have found refuge under one roof in a large traditional courtyard house in Xiaoyou Hutong, beside Houhai .

The old Menkuang Hutong of Qianmen has been 'recreated' in this courtyard house, with stalls set up on both sides of an indoor 'hutong' that serves as a food court, with diners sitting at traditional wooden tables and chairs. Nice black and white photos of old Beijing adorn the walls.

The Jiumen Xiaochi , or Nine Gates Snacks, archway standing by the lake in front of Xiaoyou Hutong refers to the nine gates in the inner city of the Forbidden city. The private rooms in the courtyard are named after these gates, including Deshengmen, Dongzhimen and Zhengyangmen.

According to Gao Yidao, the secretary of Beijing Laozihao Association, Beijing once had about 300 kinds of xiaochi, or snacks, but the constant influx of other regional foods, and the changing tastebuds of the younger generation, inevitably diminished the number to a mere 30.

The opening of Jiumen Xiaochi was greeted by heated discussion in the Chinese media. A Beijing citizen sent a letter to the editor of the Beijing News voicing his hope that the tastes would remain the same as when these establishments were operating in the old Dazhalan area of Qianmen. Like many older Beijing residents, he hoped that the aromas emanating from Chen's intensines, Feng's tripe and the sweet smell from Chatang Li's would continue to travel through the alleyways of Beijing.

So far, the reaction seems quite positive. Since it first opened its doors in July 2006, thousands of older and younger Beijing residents, anxious to experience the fast disappearing old flavors of the city that they grew up with, have flocked to the well hidden Xiaoyou Hutong. During these first few weeks of business, a bright red sign has been standing in front of the courtyard house: keman, or full house, it proclaims.

The pick of the best snacks at Jiumen Xiaochi

Chatang Li specialises in miancha, a flour paste with a choice of sweet or salty toppings. Miancha was created by an imperial chef who received a millet tribute from Inner Mongolia in 1858. He ground the grain into fine flour, added boiling water and mixed it into a thick paste, into which he added brown sugar and osmanthus syrup. The imperial family loved the dish so much that it soon became a staple breakfast item in the imperial menu.

Niangao Qian is known for it's sticky rice layered with red bean paste as well as ludagun, 'donkey rolling on the ground,' the most popular sticky rice snack made by the Hui, or Chinese Muslims.

Yangtou Ma is best known for thin sliced meat from boiled lamb's head. This shop used to be located on Niu Jie, in the city's old Muslim quarter.

Doufunao Bai serves soft beancurd, fine and delicate texture, topped with braised lamb and mushrooms.

En Yuan Ju is famous for chaogeda, stir-fried morsels-sized noodles with veggies and meat.

Dalian Huoshao makes potstickers in the shape of old-fashioned satchels that Chinese once wore over shoulder. These potstickers were the creation of the Yao family from Shunyi, who set up their small restaurant in the old Dong'an Market in 1876.

To try them yourself...

Jiumen Xiaochi 1 Xiaoyou Hutong, Xicheng district (tel 6402 5858). Open 10.30am-1.30pm, 5.30-9pm daily. Meal for two around 50RMB, snack items sell for under 10RMB. 九门小吃　西城区孝友胡同1号

Eileen Wen Mooney