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

A taste of Xinjiang

Pang Laohan Xinjiang Numbing Chicken

胖老汉新疆特色椒麻鸡

A single-dish specialist devoted to jiaomaji, which in Xinjiang is eaten as a shared cold plate with beer and nan rather than as a main course. Going to a place that does only this one thing is the quickest way to understand why locals rate it above dapanji.

¥65–90 per person≈ US$9.68Urumqi, Henan East Road branch (河南东路店)

Why come here

A place worth making time for

A dedicated Urumqi jiaomaji specialist at around ¥76 per head; no verifiable award.

The house favourites

What to order

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

  • Cold numbing chicken (椒麻鸡)
  • Belt noodles to go under it (皮带面)
  • Nan (馕)
  • Cold dressed vegetables (凉菜)

What it actually tastes like

Strongly numbing and served fridge-cold, with bones in and skin on. The combination of cold poultry, raw onion and Sichuan pepper oil is unlike anything in Western cooking.

Allergens in this kitchen

gluten/wheatsesamesoy

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