Huguosi Snacks Restaurant
( Beijing Traditional Food Store )
On June 01, 2008, it was a Sunday, a day for sleep after a week's hard work at office, I was invited by Liu Xing, a tour guide from our tour company, to have a bite of Beijing traditional food at Huguosi Snacks Restaurant. I had heard a lot about the restaurant - Huguosi Xiaochi. "Xiaochi" literally means "small eats" - snacks. There are many "small eats" in the famous traditional Beijing snacks. It is located 50 meters to the east of Huguosi Hotel, No.93, Huguosi Jie, Xicheng District, Beijing. We went there at 11:00am. The restaurant is not big. It had been already very crowded with many people standing in line for buying snacks. This restaurant doesn’t have menus, the only menu is a big board above the counter where you order your food but it is only in Chinese. Later I found a big board in the corner with English version of the menu. It is very useful for foreigners.
Liu Xing was quite familiar with the restaurant, asking me to occupy two seats while he lined up for the snacks. If you join a tour you will never be able to come to this place because the guide will never bring you here. It is a shame because this is a very famous place and Beijing people like to come here all day long (however, the busiest hour is at breakfast) because they offer traditional Beijing snacks at very cheap prices. That day I didn't see any foreigner eating here.
Just name some the most famous snacks here. Lvdaguan is made of glutinous millet flour and soybean flour. Nian Gao (glutinous rice cake), Dou Bao (steamed buns with smashed red bean stuffing), Xi Zi Bing (a cake with the Chinese character for 'happiness' on it) and Mian Yu'er (cake shaped like a fish) are some of the most popular foods at the store during big holiday shopping. Ai Wo Wo, a white glutinous rice cake with a variety of stuffing, Wan Dou Huang, a smooth tasting yellow pea cake, and Jiao Quan, deep-fried crispy flour ring and many more.
The entrance to Huguosi Snacks Restaurant
Line up for the snacks
Beijing Traditional Snacks
Enjoying Huguosi Snacks
The snacks we ordered that day
The big menu board
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