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A taste of Xi'an

Defachang Dumpling Banquet (Bell Tower)

德发长饺子·非遗（钟楼店）

Trading since 1936 on West Street beside Bell and Drum Tower Square, Defachang built its reputation on the jiaozi yan - a dumpling banquet served in flights, each kind a different shape, filling and sauce, with a 'pearl' course of thimble-sized dumplings cooked at the table in a copper pot. It is theatre as much as dinner, and the staff narrate each course.

¥60–120 per person≈ US$8.94Lianhu, West Street no. 3, on Bell and Drum Tower Square.
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Why come here

A place worth making time for

Its dumpling-making technique was listed in Shaanxi province's first batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2010, per reports; we have not confirmed the entry on the national register.

The house favourites

What to order

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

  • Dumpling banquet (饺子宴)
  • Crab-roe dumplings (蟹黄饺)
  • Prawn and mushroom dumplings (虾仁香菇饺)
  • Pearl dumplings in soup (珍珠水饺)
  • Sour-soup dumplings (酸汤饺子)

What it actually tastes like

Mostly gentle, which makes it a good choice for a cautious table - but the banquet sets include crab roe and prawn, and the sour-soup course is sharply vinegary. Pork is used, so not halal.

Allergens in this kitchen

gluten/wheatshellfishfisheggsoysesame

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.