Your TaoTie corespondent has been hitting the streets to find the best of the best.  This week I’ll be delving into Xinjiang cuisine, one of my favorite styles of Chinese food. Xinjiang cuisine is a staple in a true Laonei’s diet. But where is the best spot in Beijing for lamb-laden Uighur treats? After a long and grueling hunt for the best of Beijing’s muslim-approved grub, it has been decided. The heavyweight champion is Xinjiang Adaxi (新疆阿达西餐厅)！Located on Qian Liang hutong 钱粮胡同, Adaxi is always packed and serves up piping hot, always fresh dishes.

In the process of making this weighty decision, dozens of dishes went through our rigorous taste bud tests. Hundreds of kebabs 串, naan 馕, and ‘big chicken plates’ 大盘鸡 were closely scrutinized for tenderness, appropriate spice levels, freshness, and overall devourability. But the most important test is the simple TaoTie equation: simply take the price of the meal (4 people), subtract the number of people in the restaurant at 8pm, and finally take the restaurant’s rating to a factor of ten and subtract it from the total. The lower the number, the better the restaurant. Xinjiang Adaxi had a record score of -10.

Most other restaurants we sized up didn’t even come close. Crescent Moon, popular among the expat crowd, scored an abysmally high score of 160. Wildly overpriced and lagging far behind in both service and devourability, Crescent Moon has little going for it. But one Xinjiang spot did give Adaxi a run for its money. Known simply as Muslim Restaurant 穆斯林餐厅, this is another great choice for Xinjiang delicacies if you are out in Wudaokou.

Adaxi Review

Never take a date here. Adaxi is about one thing, and one thing only: the food. The floors are filthy, the furniture is cheap and rickety, and the majority of the customers are loud and smokey. But don’t let that stop you from coming here. Adaxi’s kitchen consistently pumps out absolutely delicious food. A definite highlight is their naan. Soft, crispy and always piping hot, their naan is never stale. Dip the naan in the huge Chicken Plate 大盘鸡 for maximum results. Another dish you wont want to miss is the fresh-made potato chips 炸土豆片, which also go well dipped in the Chicken Plate’s sauce. While your at it, order a lamb leg or some kebabs, as their lamb is some of the tenderest in town.