Hearty Dishes and Lunchtime Crowds Abound at Xinjiang Meatball Soup, Chaowai Soho

It’s hard to imagine a place that deals in the heavier, meatier elements of Xinjiang dining would be busy during lunchtime, especially one tucked away deep in the labyrinthine Chaowai Soho. Don’t get us wrong, we love to feast on dapanji from time to time with friends and family, but with colleagues at lunchtime near the office? Pushing it. In our minds, it's a wee-hour, beer and baijiu kind of meal. And yet, the aptly named Xinjiang Meatball Soup proved us wrong.

The crowds were out for the kitchen's take on dapanji (大盘鸡, RMB 78), which deftly hits the "big plate chicken" trifecta: simple, authentic, and satisfying. This Xinjiang-style stew of chicken, potatoes, and bell peppers was hearty and seasoned with plenty of star anise, cumin, ginger, and chili, making it well-balanced and full of flavor. Even a small portion was generous enough and comes topped with latiaozi (hand-stretched noodles) to fill you up. 

The signature meatball soup (RMB 29), meanwhile, was brimming with handmade and flavorful meatballs, slices of beef, mushroom, turnip, vegetables, tofu, and noodles, all submerged in a delicious beef-based broth seasoned heartily with black pepper. In case that isn't enough, it's also paired with two large huajuan (花卷), or steamed scallion buns, replacing the more traditional youtazi (油塔子), or deep-fried dough buns.

Surrounded by nearby offices, Xinjiang Meatball Soup fills up around meal times, with workers making the most of Xinjiang cuisine's focus on big dishes to share. All that hearty fare might hamper your productivity come mid-afternoon but, judging by the half-sleepy smiles leaving the restaurant, it's well worth the slow, dozy grind ahead.

Xinjiang Meatball Soup
Daily 10.30am-9pm. 0211, 2/F, Bldg B, Chaowai Soho, Chaowaidajie, Chaoyang District (153 2198 6651)
新疆特色丸子汤： 朝阳区朝外大街乙6号朝外SOHO B座0211号

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Photos: Tracy Wang