A few friends told me that they stumbled on a neat Xinjiang restaurant in the Sanlitun area of Beijing not too long ago, saying that they had a nice meal along with some great entertainment. On Friday, they called Catherine and I up and asked if we wanted to tag along. Sure we said, but they must really like this place if they were going again so soon after the initial discovery. Well, turns out this would be their third visit in about as many weeks. So what's the deal?
Well if the photos here are any indication, the entertainment may have some thing to do with the enthusiasm of my friends (two men, one woman - yay for democracy?). We entered the place at around 7pm and got ourselves seated without a reservation. I'm not sure if it fills up more on other nights, but I would note that if you do show up later, you will be seated farther away from the stage area.
This was only my second Xinjiang food experience so I am no expert, but for those of you who do not know, be prepared for a lot of lamb! The five of us ordered twenty lamb skewers, a pancake type dish with stewed lamb and onions on top, two orders of cold garlic cucumbers, two order of stringy fried potatoes (like Hickory Sticks for those Canadian readers) and a noodle dish. The cucumber dish is your typical Beijing cucumber dish, very garlicky and yummy. The stringy fried potatoes were flavourful and had a bit of kick. The main course, the lamb skewers were meaty and well seasoned, and not as fatty as the Xinjiang place across the street from the U.S. embassy (at least this batch wasn't). The tomatoey cut noodle dish should be avoided. All in all, a pleasant meal that was elevated by the Red Rose's atmosphere and its signature on-stage performances.
The entertainment consisted of a great three-person band (pictured above), a singer and a couple dancers, including the belly dancer pictured above. Good fun was had by the audience as we enjoyed our meal and watched the show. Loud music and interactive performances made sure that the place was hopping and festive. One of the highlights came near the end of the show (entertainment ends around 9) when the band played What's Up by the one-hit wonders 4 Non Blondes. Okay, it was a highlight for the five expats sitting on the left side of the restaurant. Oh, and the belly dancer was pretty hot too, hot enough that my friend flirted with the idea of going to 1001 Nights to check her other show (I've seen this particular dancer perform there too).
The bill came to about 90 kuai each, and that's with a half dozen tall beers thrown in. Not bad for an evening meal and entertainment. This place is worth a visit, especially during the weekend when you have a big crowd to add to the atmosphere. Just make sure to call ahead or go early to get a good seat!
Out of 5...
Food: 3.5 - food was simple and solid
Service: 3.5 - nothing out of the ordinary
Ambiance: 5 - when the show is on, this place is fun, just don't expect to impress a date with a romantic candle-lit dinner
Value: 4 - not the cheapest, but I guess you're paying for the show too
Xinjiang Red Rose
Inside 7 Xingfu Yicun alley, opposite Workers' Stadium North Gate, Chaoyang District (next door to Alfa in the same alley)
Daily 11am-11pm
6415 5741
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