Hot on Dianping: Crawfish Rice Sandwich, Baked Durian, and Spicy Rabbit
In Hot on Dianping, we introduce the restaurants that are whipping up hype among locals in-the-know on China’s favorite review app.
Crawfish in rice at Rourou
Dianping user 奶奶个攥儿Nainai Ge Zuan’er had heard of Rourou, and you might have too if you attended the Beijinger’s Hot and Spicy Festival this year. But it wasn’t until her recent escapade through SKP South Mall, which opened late last year, that she finally laid her hands on their shrimp rolls – and they were the highlight of the outing. But more than just the rolls, she went all out, grasping a monstrous block of seaweed-wrapped rice filled with the crawfish.
Leaving satisfied, Nainai proclaimed that it’s no wonder Rourou “has won over the hearts of many young people.”
Season Seafood brunch buffet – with baked durian!
“All the seafood is so fresh, I have to give five stars just for that,” writes user 小圆来了 Xiaoyuan Lai Le, accompanying their posts with photos of piles of crab and arrays of sashimi, shrimp, squid, and various bivalve mollusks at Season in Wangfujing. But netizens had seen that all before, and what garnished the most likes was their video of the baked durian, of which they claim to have eaten seven or eight pieces
“I asked the durian baker about the process, and he said that he doesn’t add any spices, it’s just the durian meat.” Though thoroughly satisfied with the brunch, the user warns that others had better arrive at the restaurant around 10am on the weekends. By 11.30am, all seats are taken.
Spicy rabbit from Tuxiaoleng
Tearing into a spicy hunk of rabbit, user Snow宗 Snow Zong explains to her followers that many weight-conscious eaters are wary of meat, but fortunately, rabbit can be eaten without worry due to its incredibly low-fat content. This particular rabbit comes pre-prepared in a plastic wrapping, ready to eat.
“The texture of this rabbit is just right,” she writes. “Not at all bad quality meat. It’s juicy, satisfying, and bursting with oily flavors.”
The rabbit comes from Chengdu and is available on Taobao (search 兔小冷 Tuxiaoleng) in five-spice, spicy, and numbing spicy flavors.
Cone grilling at Chaos Chimney
To delve into the realm of the touristy for a moment, user 程会玩儿 Cheng Hui Wan’er, took a trip with friends out to the hutongs where they enjoyed a cone from Chaos Chimney. The ice cream appears to be typical soft serve, but the real draw is the cones, which are prepared on a rotating grill – a staff member plays foosball with them until they are golden brown. The cone is then rolled in various toppings – coconut, graham cracker, etc, and then plopped in a holder. A chocolate ball is placed at the bottom to prevent the ice cream from running through.
READ: Hot on Dianping: Baked Lamb Leg, Curry Chicken, and Crab Fat Rice
Images: Dianping
