Get Your Inner Caveman On: Meaty Bones from the Lamb’s Spine

The recent drop in temperature signifies that fall is upon us, which means for foodies it’s time to ditch light, airy summer courses and start eating more hearty. That being the case, hotpot is sure to be on many a mind around the city, but if you’re sick and tired of the typical hotpot, maybe it’s time to try yang xiezi. Often directly translated by restaurants as lamb scorpions, yang xiezi consists of meaty bones from the lamb’s spine.

The dish gets its name because the bones resemble a scorpion’s multiple legs. The bones are stewed along with some cilantro and vegetables to create a wonderful broth that is brought out bones and all. It can be seasoned further for those who like their food spicy. The roots of the dish are Mongolian and the broth is similar to a typical hotpot, though it has a nicer, meatier flavor to it.

This is your chance to get your inner caveman on, ripping the meat off the bones and then cracking them open, sucking or pulling out the flavorful marrow. When done well, the marrow has a buttery, melt in your mouth flavor that is even better than the meat and will have you fighting off your friends for the next bone. This is definitely a dish for carnivores – if there’s a vegetarian in your group, you should head elsewhere.

It’s not all about the bones though – there’s still the bowl of bubbling lamb soup and its treated as your typical hotpot. The soup is flavorful enough that no dipping sauce is required and the vegetables (and meat if you haven’t already had your fill) can be eaten straight out of the pot (though for lovers of the traditional hotpot dipping sauce, ma jiang, it is also available). Hand pulled noodles are typically on offer as a great way to finish off your meal, although some prefer the traditional street snack, shao bing.

Lao Cheng Yi Guo (老诚一锅) and Lu Yue Xuan (芦月轩) are two popular yang xiezi hotpot chains and both have branches around the city. The pots of yang xiezi typically range from RMB 50-80, depending on the size you order and a typical bill is around RMB 50 per person at either restaurant.

If you’re looking for something a little different and the typical hotpot spots won’t suffice, yang xiezi is a good alternative that will take you back to Bedrock.

Lu Yue Xuan
Dongzhimen Branch: 新中街13号 13 Xinzhong Jie; 010-64168895

Lao Cheng Yi Guo
Dongsi Branch: 东四北大街249号 249 N. Dongsi Rd; 010-64069909
Sanlitun/Chaoyang Park Branch: 农展馆南路13号瑞辰国际中心2楼; 13 Agricultural Convention Center South Rd, 2nd Floor RuiChen International Center; 010-65922987
Haidian Branch: 双榆树北里甲18号 18 ShuangYuShu Bei Li Jia; 010-62553200