Don’t let the name In & Out confuses you. This new Sanlitun eatery is not the Californian hamburger joint. Far from it. Actually, it’s a Lijiang theme restaurant boasting eight different ethnic cuisines from around the southwestern province of Yunnan, including the foods of the Bai, Dai, Naxi, and Wa minorities.
Lijiang baba, steamed sticky rice cake, Dai flavored pork skin and beef skin, and deep fried green moss, are popular ethnic dishes that you probably won’t find in other minority restaurants in Beijing.
The wandou fen (15RMB), a cold noodle-like dish made from peas, was quite good, with the flavor of the toasted sesame seeds quite prominent. Unfortunately, jidou fen, another cold appetizer made from jidou, a very small pea only grown in the Lijiang area, was sold out.
Jingpo guiji (38RMB), shredded chicken in a light lemon dressing, cilantro and other Yunnan herbs, was quite good. Jingpo is an ethnic group from Yunnan that believes in spirits, and when they cook, they will first make an offering to the spirits before dining themselves. Hence the name guiji, which translates literally as ghost chicken.
Fried potato balls (18RMB), a classic Dai dish, were accompanied by a savory dipping sauce, and was delicious.
The one disappointment was the Dai flavored pork skin accompanied by a tamarind-based dipping sauce. It tastes like Han-style braised pork, but lacks personality.
The pineapple rice (26RMB), a Dai staple, is smaller than that served in other minority restaurants, and the taste is a lot sweeter than normal.
In & Out has a Dai-style drink (8RMB) made from xixi guo, a plum-like fruit grown in Dehong. Li Gang, the owner, says staff brought the fruit with them from their homes and were drinking it to quench their thirst. He tried it and immediately added it to the menu, dubbing it Dai Cola. The drink is similar to suanmei tang, but without the smoky flavor of the latter.
The restaurant has an attractively-designed photo album-like menu with pictures. But one problem is that the eight different cuisines are scattered in no particular order, which is confusing for those of us who are not experts on these cuisines. It would be better if the menu is organized by minority group, with recommended pair able dishes.
The Naxi and Dai costumes worn by the staff--all from Yunnan minorities--add an attractive element to the place, as does the design. The Dongba calligraphies hung on the grey brick wall provide some of the flavor of the colorful Naxi world of Lijiang. Unfortunately, the ceiling pasted over with copies of the China Daily seems out of whack with the rest of the design. The walls along the steps and in the dining area have nice color photos of Lijiang. There are beautiful cloth lanterns hanging from the ceiling, but unfortunately, the white fluorescent lighting is hard on the eyes in the evening.
The pineapple rice (26RMB), a Dai staple, is smaller than that served in other minority restaurants, and the taste is a lot sweeter than normal.
In & Out has a Dai-style drink (8RMB) made from xixi guo, a plum-like fruit grown in Dehong. Li Gang, the owner, says staff brought the fruit with them from their homes and were drinking it to quench their thirst. He tried it and immediately added it to the menu, dubbing it Dai Cola. The drink is similar to suanmei tang, but without the smoky flavor of the latter.
The restaurant has an attractively-designed photo album-like menu with pictures. But one problem is that the eight different cuisines are scattered in no particular order, which is confusing for those of us who are not experts on these cuisines. It would be better if the menu is organized by minority group, with recommended pair able dishes.
The Naxi and Dai costumes worn by the staff--all from Yunnan minorities--add an attractive element to the place, as does the design. The Dongba calligraphies hung on the grey brick wall provide some of the flavor of the colorful Naxi world of Lijiang. Unfortunately, the ceiling pasted over with copies of the China Daily seems out of whack with the rest of the design. The walls along the steps and in the dining area have nice color photos of Lijiang. There are beautiful cloth lanterns hanging from the ceiling, but unfortunately, the white fluorescent lighting is hard on the eyes in the evening.
The restaurant is the creation of Mr. Li, whose dream is to transport the Dongba culture of the Naxi to Beijing, and whose passion for Lijiang is contagious.
1 Sanlitun Bei Xiaojie, Chaoyang district. (tel 8454 0086). Open 11am-11pm. Meal for two 100RMB.
一坐一忘 朝阳区三里屯北小街1号