Lao Sun Jia

Description:

• The original restaurant, opened in 1898, is still the best place to sample Xi'an's most celebrated dish, yangrou paomo. There are now three branches, two of them on Dong Dajie. The branch with the best reputation at the moment is located inside a large hotel. On the first floor, you can dine with the masses -- not recommended unless you want to be the main attraction. The second floor is a point-to-choose xiaochi (snack) restaurant.

  Recommended dishes include the lamb dumplings (suan tang shuijiao) and a local favorite, fenzheng yangrou, two steamed buns perched delicately to the side of a pile of mince and flour. Order yangrou paomo on the third floor. You will face an empty bowl and two steamed buns, as well as plates of chili, coriander, and cloves of garlic that have been marinated in vinegar and sugar for several months. Tear the buns into tiny pieces and pop them into the empty bowl. When you've finished, your bowl will be taken away and refilled with broth and noodles. Stir in the coriander and chili, and when your palate gets greasy, nibble a clove of garlic and encourage your friends to do likewise. If the star dish doesn't fill you up, the stewed oxtail (hongshao niuwei) and bok choy with mushrooms (bilu za shuang gu) are recommended. Don't bother with the fourth floor, unless you are entertaining a government official looking for a bribe.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010