AS far as Xinjiang restaurants in Shenzhen go, Zhongfayuan Muslim Restaurant certainly comes as bit of a change. Establishments serving food from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are generally small and dingy, serving food in polystyrene bowls and with disposable chopsticks; the odd large one is bustling and noisy, crammed with tables full of rowdy revellers. In contrast, Zhongfayuan is large, spacious and well-lit with tables spread out so comfortably that you aren’t exposed to the clouds of smoke floating across from diners nearby. And this is the primary reason why it’s probably the only Xinjiang restaurant in town you can take business associates or even a date to.

Ambience aside, Zhongfayuan’s other strength lies in its food and pricing. For those who’ve never had the opportunity to sample Xinjiang food before, this might be the perfect place to start. Hailing from the far western region of China, Xinjiang’s food and people are known for being bold; and as it includes a distinctly Central Asian flavor, Xinjiang cuisine is possibly the most un-Chinese kind of Chinese food you will come across. In stark contrast to, say, delicate Cantonese food, Xinjiang food is unapologetic about being rough, hearty fare. Staples include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice that is eaten using hands.

Possibly the most famous Xinjiang dish across China is the lamb kebab (yangrouchuan 羊肉串) which is priced at 2.50 yuan (US$0.3) per skewer. It is prepared by spearing chunks of mutton on a skewer and roasting them over charcoal. The kebabs are turned continually, and when they are almost done, salt, pepper and other seasonings are sprinkled on them. Zhongfayuan’s kebabs are crispy outside and tender inside, slightly salty and hot. As they are not greasy and have no unpleasant smell, the kebabs go down well with cold beer.

Another basic Xinjiang dish that Zhongfayuan does well is the fried sliced noodles (chaomianpian 炒面片) which comes at a steal at only 12 yuan for a big plate. The flat noodles are sliced into small squares and cooked with bits of shredded lamb. Also on the restaurant’s menu is China’s famous “lamb-burger” or roujiamo (肉夹馍, 5 yuan). Normally, Shaanxi-style roujiamo is deep-fried and packed with spices, a kind of heavy-duty fuel for the champions, so to speak. In comparison, Zhongfayuan’s roujiamo is cooked lightly, lacking in the mind-numbing spices and thus easier on the stomach.

Other items we tried at the restaurant were the poached lamb (40 yuan), which may be a little tough to digest for those unaccustomed to the heavy taste of meat untempered by condiments or spices, and the four-vegetable treasure (36 yuan), which comprised boiled corn, snow peas, kidney beans and lily roots. Seafood fans might be keen to sample the dry-fried shrimp basket (58 yuan) and the fish with brown sauce (38 yuan).

Among the added benefits of eating at Zhongfayuan is that the beer is reasonable (Kingway and Tsingtao at 10 yuan for each big bottle) and the menu is somewhat in English. I say “somewhat,” because the translations are a bit off-beam in some cases: What is “ruthless chicken meat,” or, for that matter, “insect grass dinner boiled dinner dark chicken?”

Translation shortcomings aside, Zhongfayuan is solidly recommended for being a respectable place where you can bring people over to eat some wholesome, if basic food.

Ranajit Dam

AS far as Xinjiang restaurants in Shenzhen go, Zhongfayuan Muslim Restaurant certainly comes as bit of a change. Establishments serving food from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are generally small and dingy, serving food in polystyrene bowls and with disposable chopsticks; the odd large one is bustling and noisy, crammed with tables full of rowdy revellers. In contrast, Zhongfayuan is large, spacious and well-lit with tables spread out so comfortably that you aren’t exposed to the clouds of smoke floating across from diners nearby. And this is the primary reason why it’s probably the only Xinjiang restaurant in town you can take business associates or even a date to.

Ambience aside, Zhongfayuan’s other strength lies in its food and pricing. For those who’ve never had the opportunity to sample Xinjiang food before, this might be the perfect place to start. Hailing from the far western region of China, Xinjiang’s food and people are known for being bold; and as it includes a distinctly Central Asian flavor, Xinjiang cuisine is possibly the most un-Chinese kind of Chinese food you will come across. In stark contrast to, say, delicate Cantonese food, Xinjiang food is unapologetic about being rough, hearty fare. Staples include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice that is eaten using hands.

Possibly the most famous Xinjiang dish across China is the lamb kebab (yangrouchuan 羊肉串) which is priced at 2.50 yuan (US$0.3) per skewer. It is prepared by spearing chunks of mutton on a skewer and roasting them over charcoal. The kebabs are turned continually, and when they are almost done, salt, pepper and other seasonings are sprinkled on them. Zhongfayuan’s kebabs are crispy outside and tender inside, slightly salty and hot. As they are not greasy and have no unpleasant smell, the kebabs go down well with cold beer.

Another basic Xinjiang dish that Zhongfayuan does well is the fried sliced noodles (chaomianpian 炒面片) which comes at a steal at only 12 yuan for a big plate. The flat noodles are sliced into small squares and cooked with bits of shredded lamb. Also on the restaurant’s menu is China’s famous “lamb-burger” or roujiamo (肉夹馍, 5 yuan). Normally, Shaanxi-style roujiamo is deep-fried and packed with spices, a kind of heavy-duty fuel for the champions, so to speak. In comparison, Zhongfayuan’s roujiamo is cooked lightly, lacking in the mind-numbing spices and thus easier on the stomach.

Other items we tried at the restaurant were the poached lamb (40 yuan), which may be a little tough to digest for those unaccustomed to the heavy taste of meat untempered by condiments or spices, and the four-vegetable treasure (36 yuan), which comprised boiled corn, snow peas, kidney beans and lily roots. Seafood fans might be keen to sample the dry-fried shrimp basket (58 yuan) and the fish with brown sauce (38 yuan).

Among the added benefits of eating at Zhongfayuan is that the beer is reasonable (Kingway and Tsingtao at 10 yuan for each big bottle) and the menu is somewhat in English. I say “somewhat,” because the translations are a bit off-beam in some cases: What is “ruthless chicken meat,” or, for that matter, “insect grass dinner boiled dinner dark chicken?”

Translation shortcomings aside, Zhongfayuan is solidly recommended for being a respectable place where you can bring people over to eat some wholesome, if basic food.

Ranajit Dam

AS far as Xinjiang restaurants in Shenzhen go, Zhongfayuan Muslim Restaurant certainly comes as bit of a change. Establishments serving food from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are generally small and dingy, serving food in polystyrene bowls and with disposable chopsticks; the odd large one is bustling and noisy, crammed with tables full of rowdy revellers. In contrast, Zhongfayuan is large, spacious and well-lit with tables spread out so comfortably that you aren’t exposed to the clouds of smoke floating across from diners nearby. And this is the primary reason why it’s probably the only Xinjiang restaurant in town you can take business associates or even a date to.

Ambience aside, Zhongfayuan’s other strength lies in its food and pricing. For those who’ve never had the opportunity to sample Xinjiang food before, this might be the perfect place to start. Hailing from the far western region of China, Xinjiang’s food and people are known for being bold; and as it includes a distinctly Central Asian flavor, Xinjiang cuisine is possibly the most un-Chinese kind of Chinese food you will come across. In stark contrast to, say, delicate Cantonese food, Xinjiang food is unapologetic about being rough, hearty fare. Staples include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice that is eaten using hands.

Possibly the most famous Xinjiang dish across China is the lamb kebab (yangrouchuan 羊肉串) which is priced at 2.50 yuan (US$0.3) per skewer. It is prepared by spearing chunks of mutton on a skewer and roasting them over charcoal. The kebabs are turned continually, and when they are almost done, salt, pepper and other seasonings are sprinkled on them. Zhongfayuan’s kebabs are crispy outside and tender inside, slightly salty and hot. As they are not greasy and have no unpleasant smell, the kebabs go down well with cold beer.

Another basic Xinjiang dish that Zhongfayuan does well is the fried sliced noodles (chaomianpian 炒面片) which comes at a steal at only 12 yuan for a big plate. The flat noodles are sliced into small squares and cooked with bits of shredded lamb. Also on the restaurant’s menu is China’s famous “lamb-burger” or roujiamo (肉夹馍, 5 yuan). Normally, Shaanxi-style roujiamo is deep-fried and packed with spices, a kind of heavy-duty fuel for the champions, so to speak. In comparison, Zhongfayuan’s roujiamo is cooked lightly, lacking in the mind-numbing spices and thus easier on the stomach.

Other items we tried at the restaurant were the poached lamb (40 yuan), which may be a little tough to digest for those unaccustomed to the heavy taste of meat untempered by condiments or spices, and the four-vegetable treasure (36 yuan), which comprised boiled corn, snow peas, kidney beans and lily roots. Seafood fans might be keen to sample the dry-fried shrimp basket (58 yuan) and the fish with brown sauce (38 yuan).

Among the added benefits of eating at Zhongfayuan is that the beer is reasonable (Kingway and Tsingtao at 10 yuan for each big bottle) and the menu is somewhat in English. I say “somewhat,” because the translations are a bit off-beam in some cases: What is “ruthless chicken meat,” or, for that matter, “insect grass dinner boiled dinner dark chicken?”

Translation shortcomings aside, Zhongfayuan is solidly recommended for being a respectable place where you can bring people over to eat some wholesome, if basic food.