Baofeibao 煲非煲肉蟹煲

Article By Mike Leaner

3F, Wanda, Da Ming Palace, Tai Hua North Road
太华北路大明宫万达3楼
185 9175 7120
11:00am – 2:00pm
5:00Pm – 10:00pm

Average Price per Person /人均消费:30-50RMB(depending on how snack-happy you get)

PROS: Affordable seafood and friendly staff

CONS: A bit far north, but if you live around there it should be very convenient


1Ilove seafood, but actually eating it in Xi’an can be a tricky prospect. Lest we all forget, Xi’an is a solid 1,000 kilometers away from the nearest ocean, the Yellow Sea. If we had any native seafood, it would probably be called the Qinling Mountain Oyster, and I shudder to think what that would be. Lucky for me, I’ll never have to find out; a trip to Baofeibao, located at the Wanda Plaza near Daminggong, ensured that I was bursting at the seams, filled with fresh shellfish.

Baofeibao telegraphs its intentions right from the get-go. From the pleasant aroma to the incredibly nautical décor, to say something fishy is going on is an understatement—and potentially the only time that phrase has been meant both literally and positively. This is authentic Zhejiang food, prepared by chefs from Shanghai that are more than well versed in that style of cooking. They also have fresh ingredients shipped in daily, and the results pretty much speak for themselves.

A few dishes are served in the currently trendy style of a big vat of seafood (crawfish and crab enthusiasts will know what I’m talking about), but I was implored to try their specialty: crab stew. It was a generous portion and nicely spiced—enough to fulfill my need for a little kick, not so much that it would be inedible for my spice-averse friends. While I was all stewed up, they threw a second bowl at me—this time a stew of chicken feet. Since seafood isn’t everyone’s bag, I was of course interested in exploring some of the turf instead of the surf, but this wasn’t really what I had in mind. But for the review, I pressed forward and found that it was another standout dish. So I guess I like chicken feet. Learn something new every day.

All-in-all, Baofeibao is an easy recommendation. There’s a lot of care put into their dishes, the atmosphere is pretty nice despite its goofy mall aesthetic and last but not least, it’s not going to wreck your bank account. If you’re in the Daminggong area, definitely give it a shot.

Mike Leaner likes to get dirty but not for free. He can be reached at
reviews@xianease.com

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