Erdun Traditional Hotpot
This restaurant is named 'Erdun', which means 'treasure' in Chinese. It is often said that Japanese ingredients require natural color, delicious taste, and diverse shapes. I don't know if there is such a thing as tradition. The hotpot itself is amazing, with a beautiful, heartwarming, cloisonné-made dome-shaped shell, and a raised part in the middle to protect it from being scalded. The sauce on the side is so rich in color and flavor that it is almost like a piece of art.
Maixiang Village
The Shaomai of Maixiang Village is famous far and wide. The term 'Shaomai' was originally written as 'Shaomei' in the Ming Dynasty. It is also called 'Shaomai' or 'Shumai' now. The reason for making a special trip to eat Shaomei is that it, along with traditional Inner Mongolian dishes like steamed lamb, braised meat strips, and barbecue, has been selected and preserved from tens of thousands of dishes during the nearly eighty years of Maixiang Village's development. It can be said to be a fine selection among dishes.
Zha Ma Banquet
However, the real highlight here is the Zha Ma Banquet. Zha Ma, in Mongolian, refers to a whole animal with its hair removed. It means slaughtering cattle or sheep, removing the hair with hot water, taking out the internal organs, and then roasting or boiling the whole animal for the feast. The Zha Ma Banquet is a unique Mongolian celebration featuring a whole cattle or sheep feast.
Jiucheng Palace
The experience at Jiucheng Palace is fantastic. As soon as you enter, you can get on the kang, which is very warm. There are various dish names I have never heard of: Hong Pa Meatballs, Pa Tiao Meat, Northern Shaanxi Potato Shreds, Northern Shaanxi Stewed Lamb... Hearing these names makes me eager to start eating.
