Sumptuous Flavour of Kaoyou Wan

2007/04/03

Eating grilled meat is now common across China. However, it was once only a practice of the Hui and Man minority ethnic groups. The usual cooking methods for Han people are frying, stewing and steaming, because they have a long history of fixed residences and, as settled, agricultural people, they were also relatively rich. But many of the minority ethnic groups in China were nomads who moved so frequently that grilling meat, especially mutton and beef, over hot fires were used to satisfy their needs. Later, with intermarriage between the Han and these minority ethnic groups, grilled meat become popular, especially in North China.

When asked where best to enjoy traditional grilled mutton and beef in Beijing, many elderly locals will respond: “Kaorou Wan and Kaorou Ji. Kaorou here means “grilled meat”; “Wan” and “Ji” are family names of the two restaurants’ founders. Kaorou Wan, established in 1668 by a person from Hui ethnic group, evolved from a stall selling mutton and beef into a restaurant specializing in grilled beef. The main difference between these two grills is their specialties: Kaorou Wan is good at grilled beef, while Kaorou Ji is good at grilling mutton. Today we focus on Kaorou Wan; we highlighted Kaorou Ji in BTM’s November 2006 issue.

For more than three centuries, Kaorou Wan has been famed as “the capital’s best grill.” Having moved many times, the head office is now located near the Nanlishilu Subway Station on Line 1. Simple and common on its exterior, the three-storey building is a cultural treasure house of Chinese-style grilling. Unlike Korean, Turkish or other grilled meat traditions, the Chinese grill meat on a round table with iron stand to hold the meat, and people stand to eat. Branches of almond and Chinese jujube trees are used to fire the iron stand. These woods are used because they can retain their fragrance for a long time when being burned.

When served, the meat is cut into thin slices, and can be spiced up with a wide selection of seasonings.

At Kaorou Wan, separate rooms are used for traditional grilling. According to Wang Gang, Kaorou Wan’s deputy general manager, “There is one table in each room; each can hold 10 people. Slices of meat are stringed on a 60-centimentre-long bamboo stick, so that hands can remain at a certain distance from the fire. You can imagine how thin the slice is when every kilogramme of beef is cut into about 360 pieces after eliminating the hard joints. As the raw material, beef is carefully selected to ensure its tenderness. If required, different beef parts can be offered at various prices. Generally speaking, the seasonings include salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, shrimp oil, ginger and garlic. They can be adjusted based on the customers’ requirements.

“Most people prefer to order grilled-meat dishes cooked by chefs, rather than to grill meat on the iron stand by themselves. This reflects social progress and changes in the people’s dining habits. Our kitchens are just beside the public dining area. They are surrounded by transparent glass so diners can get a clear view of the kitchens. Diners can see the whole process of grilling meat.”

At Kaorou Wan, the average daily consumption of beef is about 100 kilogrammes. On weekends or during festivals, it increases to about 150–250 kilogrammes.

The most popular “Grill Beef” has become a “must-order” dish; it costs 48 yuan (US$6). In recent years, in addition to traditional grilled-beef dishes, grilled-lamb legs, grilled venison and grilled duck have also won admirers. Another famous dish here is fresh and tender fried shrimp with a sweet taste.

To meet different requirements of diners, Kaorou Wan has divided the three-storey building into three grades with different dining costs. The first floor is suitable for two–four diners who have a budget of 30 yuan–40 yuan per person; the second floor has larger and brighter spaces, with a cost of 60 yuan–70 yuan per person; the third floor was designed for business dining, with luxury and private rooms. In 2005, Kaorou Wan’s total sales surpassed 25 million yuan (US$3.13 million).

Since its founder is from the Hui minority ethnic group, who adhere to the taboo of never eating pork, Kaorou Wan is extremely welcomed by the Hui people. It is easy to find characters of their languages and decor depicting their lives in the restaurant. In addition, they get a life-long 5 percent discount here.

Over the years, many celebrities have dined here. The inscription of the restaurant's name “Kaorou Wan” was given by Qi Baishi, one of the most renowned traditional Chinese painters in the 20th century. Other celebrities include Puru, the elder brother of the last emperor Aisin-Gioro Puyi; Guo Moruo, one of the most famous Chinese contemporary writers; and Mei Lanfang, China’s No. 1 Peking Opera master.



	Article featured in Beijing This Month, April 2007 Publication sponsored by Information Office of the Beijing Municipal Government, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Tourism