
3. Best Place for a Night Owl
Ming Hui Fu
Literally “the house of light and flame”, this is the place to be at 4am after a night of partying. Open 24 hours, Ming Hui Fu offers almost all the Gui Jie specialties: Peking duck (88 yuan), Sichuan Shuizhuyu (42 yuan), spicy kaoyu and chuan’ers, as well as the gold medal winning “grilled chicken on bamboo” (48 yuan).
Price: 100 yuan for a couple
Address: 199-201号
Tel: 6401-3636
4. Best Hotpot
Little Sheep
The number one brand of Mongolian style hotpot, Little Sheep, is so popular that they opened four restaurants in Canada and four in the US within the past year. The mutton comes straight from Inner Mongolia, is always fresh and is cooked in a rich broth which brings out its best flavors.
Price: 100 yuan for a couple
Add: 209号
Tel: 8400-1669
5. Best Malatang
Xiao Dong Tian
“Malatang,” meaning “spicy and hot,” is a Sichuan street food with a devoted following of spice addicts. The concept is similar to hotpot, only you don’t cook it yourself. Veggies, tofu, meat balls and even chicken livers arrive on chuan’ers stewing in a spicy hot broth. All you need to do is dig in until your tongue is numb.
Price: Less than 100 yuan per couple
Add: 269号
Tel: 8404-9556
6. Best Rice Noodles
Food in Novel
Rice noodles are only one of the fantastic Yunnan specialties here. Priced at 18 yuan–128 yuan, the “cross-the-bridge rice noodles” have up to 30 tasty ingredients. The lamb rice noodles (18 yuan) are seasoned with mint. Other Yunnan delights include “mountain treasures chicken pot” (42 yuan) and “steamed fish on palm leaf” (42 yuan).
Price: 100 yuan or less for a couple
Add: 15-1号
Tel: 8406-0237
7. Best Kaoyu
Du Men Chong
This restaurant that reinvented “kaoyu.” Its fish is grilled on a base of veggies and other items of your choice for a small taste of kaoyu heaven. Prices for catfish (38 yuan/half kilo) and grass carp (28 yuan) are comparable to other Gui Jie venues. Du Men Chong has two locations on Gui Jie, so don’t get bummed if one is already full.
Price: 100 yuan for a couple
Add: 5-3号, 208号
Tel: 8406-2040, 6404-4147
8. Best Date
Xi Yan
This French tappasaki restaurant lives up to its name (“wedding banquet”) when it comes to excellence and luxury, and it’s famous for its goose liver and beef rolls. Business set lunches range from 98 yuan to 528 yuan, with the 228 yuan choice with goose liver said to be the best. Xi Yan has a reputation for excellent service and a nice garden view.
Price: 500-600 yuan for a couple
Add: 5-11号
Tel: 8406-4243
9. Best Fish Stew
Huang Ji Huang
Menyu, meaning “fish stew”, is how the emperor ate fish. It’s so good that the inventor of the dish (Mr. Huang, for whom the restaurant is named) was able to gain political power. The fish is cooked in one of three patented sauces (soy sauce, seafood sauce or tomato sauce) until boiled, when vegetables are added. Fish is 28-48 yuan/500g and each veggie/tofu portion is 8-10 yuan.
Price: 150 yuan for a couple
Add: 10-9号
Tel: 8407-1686