Lao Xi’an Restaurant was the first in Beijing to specialize in Muslim dishes of the northwest.

The restaurant is famous for its Crumbled Flatbread in Mutton Stew (Yangrou Paomo). In addition to that savory dish, Lao Xi’an also serves traditional northwestern food such as lamb kabobs and Fried Sheep Fillets (Tasimi).

Tasimi is one of the most distinctive dishes in Chinese Islamic cuisine. The lamb slices are tender and fried with a sweet and sour taste. Under the reign of the Empress Dowager Cixi, Tasimi became a royal dish. Court chefs who were always trying to find something new for the picky empress fried lamb and tossed it with sweet bean sauce and sugar. After her chefs failed to name the dish, the empress decided to call it “Tasimi.”

Address: No. 20, Xinjiekou Street, Xicheng District

Tel: 010-66181748

Opening hours: 10:30 - 22:00

Average cost per person: 53 RMB