TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT FOOD ON A STICK

Article By XIANEASE

The category of Chinese food that involves skewering just about everything under the red sun onto a pointy stick, also known as “串串” (chuan chuan), always makes for a fun dining experience. It’s an interesting marriage between Chinese-style barbecue and the sumptuousness of hot pot. You can order just enough for yourself or, as the locals do, order a bunch and have a nice evening with friends and loved ones. If you’re not sure where to go to get some clean, delicious chuan chuan, we’ve got the intel you’re looking for. Check out these five great chuan chuan restaurants and prepare to put some sticks in your face hole.

8-0HONG QI GONG CHUAN CHUAN
洪七公串串

The most striking thing about Hong Qi Gong is likely its décor. It’s sharp and modern, while making room for more traditionally Chinese touches, like the plum blossom trees stretching from floor to ceiling. Behind the beauty of this dining room there lies a multitude of fresh, interesting things to cook in your pot, which will certainly make for a nice meal.

大寨路6号莱安逸珲西侧底商
Lai an yi hui, #6 Da Zhai Lu
Phone: 180-9208-0920

8-1AO CHUAN CHUAN
凹串串老火锅

Ao Chuan Chuan is, allegedly, the most famous restaurant of this type in Xi’an. Why is it famous? Well, it’s open 24 hours a day and the service is top notch. It’s also in a pretty convenient location if you spend a lot of time downtown, drinking or whatever it is you kids do these days. Next time you’re looking for your post-bar munchies fix, fire up your WeChat, reserve a table and make your way down Fen Xiang.

五味什字和南广济街交叉口向西50米路南(粉巷向西50米)
West 50 meters of wu wei shi zi and Nan guang ji jie crossing
Phone: (029) 8721 3895

 8-3HONG HOT POT
虹火锅

We’ve featured Hong Hot Pot before in our reviews section, and for good reason. This upscale take on what’s usually more of a street-side pastime joins fresh ingredients with some creature comforts like wine and cocktails for a unique chuan chuan experience.

南二环西段群贤路北口东南角1F
1F , West of Nan er huan, Qun Xian Lu
Phone: (029) 8411 9944

8-4LAO HUI FANG
老回坊麻辣烫

While most of the places on this list have been open only a (relatively) short while, Lao Hui Fang stands apart as one of the OGs in this scene (you can tell because they still use the old name for this dish, “ma la tang” 麻辣烫). It’s been around more than a decade and is still regularly mobbed with locals and tourists, a testament to its enduring quality. They also serve normal barbecue, so it should be a nice happy medium for those in your party that aren’t on board with boiled skewers.

大皮院56号
#56 Da pi yuan
Phone: 182-4088-1588

8-5LIU BAO TONGGUO CHUAN CHUAN
刘宝老家铜锅串串

We at Xianease are media moguls and not chefs, so we couldn’t tell you why a copper pot (most commonly associated with Beijing-style hot pot) would be better than the normal kind, but people seem to go wild for it. The locally famous Liu Bao goes all-in on copper pots for your chuan chuan, so there’s got to be something to it. Perhaps it’s time to find out what all the hype is about for yourself.

永宁路大话南门4号楼一楼(草场坡大话南门销售中心对面)
1F, Unit 4, Da hua nan men, Yong ning lu
Phone: (029) 8521 0179

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