Feng's Kitchen: Classic Taiwanese Cuisine in the Heart of Old Beijing

The centuries-old hutongs south of Qianmen may not be the first place that springs to mind when thinking of a place to go for authentic Taiwanese food (in fact, not that many places in Beijing spring to mind at all ...) so when I came across Feng's Kitchen in a Chinese article about "Beijing's best Taiwanese restaurants" I was naturally intrigued.

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From what I can garner from the internet, Feng's Kitchen has been open since mid-2015 and since then has garnered more than 1,000 reviews on Dianping. Located on busy Liangshidian Jie, which runs north-south, parallel to the pedestrianized Qianmen Dajie, Feng's Kitchen is a short walk away from Zhushikou subway station. The owners have changed little of the 150-year-old shopfront but once inside the decor is more cluttered kitsch than traditional China.

Feng's Kitchen serves homestyle cuisine, including a roster of instantly recognizable Taiwanese classics like three cups chicken (RMB 78), Taiwanese-style sausage (RMB 38), and beef noodle soup (RMB 48). Having just walked miles in the bitter cold, I fancied something rib-sticking, so made a beeline for the braised pork belly (RMB 68, RMB 48 for a smaller portion with rice at lunch), the subject of many rave Dianping reviews. And I chose wisely because this is some of the best pork belly I have had in Beijing, the layers of meat and fat clearly defined and meltingly tender. The savory egg, braised in the pork cooking juices, is an added bonus. Some might gripe at the portion size but it's so rich that you won't want more than a couple of the 4cm-high pieces.

Even more popular than the pork belly is the red bean soup (RMB 25) which is apparently made according to an 80-year-old family recipe. I can't confess to being a big fan of red bean desserts but Feng's Kitchen serves an objectively good version, lightly sweet, with some of the red beans breaking down into the soup and some retaining their texture. Also hiding in the soup are chewy taro balls and cubes of purple and red sweet potatoes.

Feng's Kitchen is a great choice for a reasonably priced lunch or dinner if you find yourself in need of sustenance after exploring the Qianmen and Dashilan'r area. Solo diners can choose the noodle or rice dishes, while larger groups can share a wider spread of dishes (there is an English menu). 

Feng's Kitchen
Daily 11am-9pm. 55 Liangshidian Jie, Xicheng District (135 5207 0784)
豐食堂：西城区粮食店街55号

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Photos: Robynne Tindall, Dazhong Dianping