Nanjing Dapaidang surely makes an impression. From the red lanterns hung high and its large wooden doors, the restaurant is determined to transport dinners back to Nanjing’s glory days as capital of the Republic of China (1912–1949).

With more than 10 branch locations in Beijing, Nanjing Dapaidang is popular. It is suggested to make a reservation because the lines can be fierce.

Orders are placed by ticking items off the menu, but it’s also fun to pick directly from a village of stalls and pointing towards the mountains of steaming bamboo baskets with your table card in hand. Orders typically arrive at your table within minutes.

The restaurant offers good food at an affordable price. A small plate of artfully cut tofu and sauce costs only 5 yuan. Customers on Dianping recommended diguo xiao gongji (42 yuan). The dish is a tender rooster served in a pot with sesame dressed bread. Customers also recommend the jizhen yeshanjun soup (28yuan) .

Classic Nanjing dishes are also popular orders. The yaxue fensi shaguo (22 yuan) arrives as a mixed bowl of duck blood, pig liver and rice noodles. For desert, jiuniang chidou yuanxiao (6 yuan), a sweet fermented rice bean soup, is highly recommended.

Source: beijingtoday.com.cn