The Dazhaimen Restaurant, in Wanliu Xingui Mansion, Wanliu East Road, Haidian District, Beijing,recently opened.
The Dazhaimen is regarded as a "living cultural relic" on the western Beijing landscape. Its interior decor is a convergence of architecture and antique furniture from both north and south China. The excellence of the restaurant's "Zhaimen private cuisine" must be experienced in order truly to be appreciated. The Dazhaimen also stages performances of traditional Chinese opera, enjoyed to the accompaniment of a fragrant, refreshing and constantly replenished cup of tea.
Dazhaimen's ornamental wood, brick and stone carvings are unsurpassed in any Beijing restaurant. The restaurant's 2,000 or more door leaves and pieces of furniture are the legacy of distinguished Chinese families from over a century ago. Its decor consists of simple but elegant blue bricks, gray tiles, comfortable furniture, and a performance stage in classical style. The restaurant also has a pho-
tographic display of famous performers of Chinese opera, such as Mei Lanfang.
The Dazhaimen's unique Zhaimen private cuisine cannot be classified as either imperial or f
olk fare. Its origins are in the epicurean nobles, government officials and rich merchants of bygone Beijing who, when catering for private family dinners, engaged specialist cooks that combined local dishes with palace cuisine. Zhaimen private cuisine comprises dishes from Beijing, Hangzhou, Sichuan and
Guangdong, including specialities such as bird's nest, abalone and sharks饰soup, mountain delicacies and seafood delights. It also includes traditional Peking snacks such as douzhi (a fermented drink made from ground soybeans), jiaoquan (crispy fried dough rings), madoufu (cooking starch residue), zhajiangmian (noodles served with fried bean sauce), dalumian (noodles served in thick savory
sauce), hutazi (vegetable pancake), jingdongroubing (jingdong meat pancake) and zhaimenkaoya (zhaimen roast duck). Guo Xinjun is the 4th generation descendant of chefs in the well-known "Tanjia cuisine" tradition. His Zhaimen private cuisine combines items from the Tanjia banquet and private menus. Their range makes them suitable for both business functions and family gatherings.
Evening Chinese opera performances are a special feature of the Dazhaimen. They are performed onstage on the second floor of its theater hall. Programs include the fascinating 100 face changes in 60 seconds of Sichuan Opera, famous arias, magic, acrobatics, martial arts, short cross talks, Peking Opera highlights, and storytelling. The performers are all seasoned professionals.
