This green and gold alleyway restaurant grills up some of the best dishes from China’s far northwest -- cumin-spiced lamb skewers, crispy nang breads, house-made yogurt, hand-pulled noodles and ornate pots of salty milk tea.

The hearty dapanji (big plate chicken) is chicken on the bone slow-cooked in a savory broth with potatoes, veggies and hand-pulled noodles; danxian subing kaorou is a crispy vegetable and egg pie, with a big mound of fried lamb and onions dumped on top.

Service is surly but efficient and the atmosphere is more refined than at typical Xinjiang joints.

Crescent Moon Muslim Restaurant, 16 Dongsi Liutiao, near Chaoyangmen Beixiaojie

Tel: +86 (10) 6400 5281

Source: travel.cnn.com