The gold standard by which all other food on a stick is judged, kao chuan’r, almost always shortened to ‘chuan’r’, is a staple of many a hutong-shoestring diet, and has fuelled the fires of countless all-night ragers since time immemorial. Small chunks of cubed lamb, interspersed with equal parts mutton fat, are roasted over charcoal until charred to perfection. Anything on a stick is a chuan’r, but in Beijing chuan’r really means lamb and chicken wings. Keep an eye out for gents from Xinjiang wearing caps – no one does lamb in China like they do it out west.

Price: 2-8 RMB per stick

Time: Afternoon to late

Source: timeoutbeijing.com