Chuan’r Fu

Nice setting but the food doesn't stand out

Chuan’r is the most easily accessible street food you can encounter in Beijing. The character itself, 串, is the perfect example of a Chinese ideogram looking exactly like the object it represents, and it’s hard to find a street corner that isn’t adorned with a length of neon cable twisted into that form.

But for all its ubiquity, and the constant, often regrettable, sampling, it’s pretty hard to get quality meat on a stick in this town. And alas, the search must continue, for despite a modern yet somehow classic interior, some cute twists to the menu and good service, Chuan’r Fu isn’t offering much above average street meat.

Basic lamb chuan’r (2RMB) is light on fat and subtly spiced, but there’s nothing too drastic to distinguish it from your local Xinjiang place.

Second only to chuan’r in its importance is the humble chicken wing (5RMB for two), and the varieties available at Chuan’r Fu – plain or spicy – are tender and succulent enough to provide enough reward from the effort it takes to gorge on them.

A bamboo pot at the centre of the table for discarded metal skewers helps you keep track of the amount you’ve consumed, a useful thing if attending with a big group.

But not all of the food here has a metal rod shoved through it. Baked oysters are a secondary specialty and come with a choice of five sauces.

A dozen here will set you back less than 40RMB depending on which sauce you choose. We tried the black bean sauce, which offered some much needed consistency to the somewhat dry oysters, while the spicy sauce packed a reasonable punch.

The spacious courtyard, remodelled to remove some of the quaint charm, is a pleasant enough setting for a meal, but the food on offer is not special enough to set it apart from a hundred other venues around town. Simon Fowler

Chuan’r Fu 28 Dafosi Dong Jie, Dongcheng district (8403 3188). Open 11am-4am daily. Meal for two around 100RMB. 东城区大佛寺东街28号