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A little preparation. A much better adventure.Independent travel advice · Made for China
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A taste of Beijing

Donglaishun

东来顺

Founded in 1903, Donglaishun is the institution for Beijing instant-boiled mutton: a charcoal-fired brass pot with a chimney down the middle, a broth containing little more than scallion and ginger, paper-thin hand-sliced mutton you swish for a few seconds, and a sesame paste dipping sauce. This is not Sichuan hotpot. There is no chilli oil, no numbing peppercorn and no heavy spicing; the whole point is the quality of the lamb and the sesame sauce.

¥150–250 per person≈ US$22Dongcheng, 198 Wangfujing Street; Wangfujing station (Line 1). Also a branch on the 5th floor of Beijing APM on Wangfujing Avenue
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Why come here

A place worth making time for

No Michelin star. A Beijing 'time-honoured brand' (中华老字号) founded in 1903, long cited as the benchmark for instant-boiled mutton and promoted as such by Beijing's own tourism authority.

The house favourites

What to order

Point at the Chinese. Staff will understand it even where the menu has no English at all.

  • Instant-boiled mutton (涮羊肉)
  • Hand-sliced lamb upper shoulder (手切上脑)
  • Sesame dipping sauce (麻醬小料)
  • Sesame-coated flatbread (芝麻烧饼)

What it actually tastes like

The broth is deliberately almost flavourless, which surprises people expecting a spicy pot. The sesame dipping sauce is thick, savoury and usually contains fermented bean curd and chive flower paste, both of which carry a strong fermented funk. Lamb here tastes distinctly muttony, not mild.

Allergens in this kitchen

sesamegluten/wheatsoypeanutshellfish

This is the kitchen, not one dish. Woks, fryers, blanching water and utensils are shared in almost every Chinese restaurant, so for a serious allergy treat the whole premises as the unit rather than ordering around it.

Get to know the menu

Local specialities to try here

Mutton hotpot (instant-boiled lamb) 涮羊肉Clean and mild in the pot; the character comes from the nutty, salty sesame dip with chive flower and fermented bean curd