Xibei refers to the northwest region of China, packed with unique culinary specialties and features. Xibei meishi started in 1988 as a small pop-up shop in inner Mongolia, serving snacks and a few dishes. Since then, the restaurant has scaled to massive proportions. They are located across China in 60 cities and 400 locations, starting off with their xibei noodle shop and expanding to various ventures such as xibei seafood and ramen chains.
In Shanghai's culinary scene, xibei meishi was one of the first to establish a "modernized local" restaurant. While local restaurants in China are mostly welcoming with a crowded atmosphere and bustling conversations, it can be hit or miss. They be difficult to approach as non-natives who aren't very familiar with the traditional taste and fragrance of Chinese food. Xibei meishi, while categorized as a local and casual restaurant, have excellent hygeine, service, and interior design that borrow from fine-dining. Their open kitchens were in place even before the trend of glass pannels in restaurants became popular in Shanghai.
Their sand clock tradition represents the pride that they place on quick and efficient service. After 25 minutes, if any of the dishes that you ordered are not completed, the restaurant offers complimentary deserts. I forgot about the specifics of what their compensation is because they've never gone over 25 minutes in my recent visits to the restaurant.
Dishes:
Oat flour noodles with Lamb and Mushroom Broth - est. 56 rmb
The oat flour-noodles are made with a specific type of oat that only grows in northwest China. Coined as "naked oats," by the time of its maturity the hull will have shed from the grain already. It provides a delightfully chewy and bouncy texture thta is hard to imitate with other types of grain. Combined with the rich and umami mushroom broth, the noodles are an unpgraded version of any other noodle dish.
Grilled Lamb Leg with Steamed Baos and Condiments - est. 237 rmb
A hefty 500 gram lamb leg comes with a side of fluffy and airy baos. There is zero funkiness to the lamb leg and is scorched with a cripy crust. The presentation that comes with a bone with scraps of meat attached catches your attention straight away. While the baos, grilled onions, and chili sauce were great additions, the lamb leg held the spotlight. One small critique is its dryness; unfortunately, the lamb leg was probably prepared in advance due to its long cooking time, leaving all the juice to leak out.
The siso leaves worked oddly well with the lamb. So try that combination out!
Adapted Cheese-filled Tibetan Bread - est. 30 rmb
Most likely inspired by Tibet's yak cheese bread, the dish offers a guilty pleasure of just... stretchy cheese and crispy bread.
Xibei rice noodles - est. 45 rmb
Fresh vegetables and noodles with a kick from the mala and chili sauce makes this a perfect summer dish. Thinly julienned cucumbers with paper thin and delicate vermicelli noodles serve as a strong base for the dish. A few pieces of spongy tofu breaks the monotone of the flavor profile. Its so simple yet bright and punchy. Definitely, a must try at xibei meishi.
Bao included within the lamb leg dish -
It was so fluffy that it deserved an extra feature.
Overall Summary
A clean local restaurant with bright and simple flavors is hard to come by. While it might not be the most authentic xibei restaurant in Shanghai, they've adapted the cuisine and perfected the service element of running a restaurant. For a plentiful family diner with diverse menu options that fit the tastes of everyone, the restaurant is a perfect fit. Especially if you're hesitant to try local chinese food, try xibei meishi as a gateway. After the covid pandemic, the restaurant's popularity has dropped a little but their quality is still there, so go check out the restaurant and help out the business too.