Heat-Busting Hunan Noodle Soup From Xiangren Longji

Think Beijing is unbearably hot in the summer? Quit whining, and try spending July in Hunan – or better yet, chow down on the irresistible eats that the Hunanese use to beat the heat at the bustling Xiangren Longji.

Housed in the basement of the enthusiastically named Wonderful World Shopping Mall near Hujialou subway station, Xiangren Longji’s menu features a melange of Hunanese delicacies such as noodle soups and dry noodles (RMB 22-28), stinky tofu, marinated chicken feet, and marinated duck. We were told that the restaurant is so intent of maintaining authenticity that the rice noodles used are shipped from Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province.

Their signature beef rice noodle soup (RMB 28) is as straightforward as the name suggests, and comes served in a deep bowl and topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro and shallots. The chunky slices of beef are well marinated and packed with a spicy kick – the calling card of this southern cuisine. The broth, meanwhile, was simple but hearty, and the rice noodles are slightly flat, giving them a less al dente texture than other noodles.  

The restaurant also provides a table-full of Hunan-style snacks that you can pick at for free, such as deep-fried soybeans, chili peppers, preserved beans, and even lard (yes, that counts as a snack, but don't go overboard). Be warned, the crunchy soybeans are seasoned with enough salt and chili pepper to render you instantly addicted.

Then there's the tangyou baba (糖油粑粑), a ubiquitous local street eat in Changsha, which essentially consists of glutinous rice balls heated in oil and covered with syrup. Unfortunately, although reminiscent of sweet dumplings but served without the oil, we found that because they were brought along with our noodles, the glutinous rice balls had already begun to get cold by the time we tucked in (pro tip: order fresh once you're done with your mains). They also weren't as pillowy-soft in texture as we'd hoped, though their dusting of black and white sesame salvaged the flavor.

Xiangren Longji's venue is rustic and relaxed and features a wall adorned with hand-painted murals depicting how the Hunanese like to eat rice noodles, or as they call it 嗦粉 suō fěn, "sucking noodles." It does get quite busy during the lunchtime peak, which is always a good sign in our books, but if you don't have time to line up for these hearty bowls of noodles then you can also find Xiangren Longji on most food delivery platforms.

Xiangren Longji
Daily 11am-9pm. B21-2, B/1, Wonderful World, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (8528 4622)
湘人龙记老长沙米粉：朝阳区东三环北路呼家楼好世界商城负一层B21-2

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Photo: Tracy Wang