Beijing Characteristics Dumpling House

By Maia, 2010年 6月 14日

Everyone is in search of that one perfect jiaozi / 饺子 restaurant, and I dare say that I’ve found it. Located on a tree-lined hutong just north of Jingshan Gongyuan, Beijing Characteristics Dumpling House is unassuming, cozy, clean, and full of friendly 饺子 makers. The first time I bit into one of their succulent pockets of zhurou baicai / 猪肉 白菜, I knew I had found it: the answer to all of my dumpling prayers.

The menu features every variety of dumpling you could ask for, and all of the dumplings are made from scratch as you order them. During my first tasty visit there, the laoban / 老板 and I joked about how they would teach me how to perfect my 饺子-making skills if I taught them how to make pizza. I can proudly say, after frequenting the House often, that the first part of that bargain has finally commenced.

I never thought that the correct way to bao / 包 a 饺子 was so difficult, but as I tried to place my thumbs and forefingers in the right position, I gained much more respect for the seemingly effortless motions and rhythm that Liang Liang / 亮亮, my teacher for the evening, achieved standing beside me. When I asked if this method of 包-ing was the traditional Beijing style, the 老板 replied yes, only to quickly correct himself, saying that it’s the traditional, and best, way in all of China.

After many photographs were taken, and the full history of the restaurant recounted (it’s run by southerners who opened it 4 years ago), I finally sat down to my steaming plate of fresh 饺子. I have to say, somehow the ones that 亮亮 made just tasted better.

Beijing Characteristics Dumpling house is located on the north side of huang hua men jie 黄化门街 of off di an men nei da jie 地安们内大街.

It’s about a 20 minute walk from gu lou 鼓楼. Walk south from the towers on the east side of di an men wai da jie 地安门外大街. Cross the big four-way intersection and continue south on di an men nei da jie 地安门内大街. The hutong will be on your left, the first one after the bus stop.

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