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

Xiao Lizi Dapanji (Blood Bank branch)

血站小李子大盘鸡

Urumqi's most argued-over dapanji restaurant, trading for around thirty years and known by the landmark it sits near rather than a street name. Big plate chicken is a Xinjiang invention from the Shawan and Chaiwopu roads: chicken braised with potato, chilli and Sichuan pepper, with wide hand-pulled belt noodles dropped into the remaining sauce at the end. This is the version locals send people to.

¥50–70 per person≈ US$7.45Shuimogou District, Karamay Road (水磨沟区克拉玛依路) 76
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Why come here

A place worth making time for

A thirty-year Urumqi institution rated 4.6 on Dianping with over three thousand reviews, in which the most frequent words are 'authentic'; Xinjiang has no Michelin or Black Pearl coverage.

The house favourites

What to order

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

  • Big plate chicken (大盘鸡)
  • Belt noodles for the sauce (皮带面)
  • Cold numbing chicken (椒麻鸡)
  • Nan bread to mop up (馕)

What it actually tastes like

There is real Sichuan pepper in it, so expect a numbing tingle alongside the chilli heat. Bones are left in the chicken throughout. Portions genuinely feed four — ask for 小份 (xiao fen, small portion) if there are two of you, and you will still probably not finish it.

Allergens in this kitchen

gluten/wheatsoy

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

Big plate chicken 大盘鸡Savoury-spicy and slightly numbing, with sweet collapsed potato and a sauce the noodles soak up completely.Cold pepper-numbed chicken 椒麻鸡Cold, savoury and sharply numbing from the green pepper, with a fresh coriander-and-onion lift.