Linhuxuan Restaurant mainly serves Guanfu Cuisine (originally developed by top government officials in the past, known for its delicacy and exquisiteness) and Family Tan Cuisine (a branch of Guanfu Cuisine). Linhuxuan chefs also draw upon the merits of other cuisines and have developed a number of healthy and unique dishes, including some less usual ingredients. There are many dishes that you will be familiar with, beautifully prepared, or you may be tempted to try braised shark fin, and other dishes based on shark fin, prawns cooked with various seasonings, sautéed sea cucumbers with scallions, uniquely cooked duck tongue, superb cubilose (birds’ nest) soup, mushroom soup with carthamus (also known as safflower, part of the thistle family), tender bamboo shoots stewed with aloes, sautéed shredded chicken with bamboo shoots, deep-fried bamboo worms, and sautéed pork with dried fungus.
The restaurant invited Hu Lichun to be head chef. He learned his art from Guo Xinjun, custodian of Family Tan Cuisine. Hu Lichun and his students are now endeavoring to brand the restaurant as the best in Beijing. Today, the restaurant welcomes guests from around the world.
The restaurant is close to Andingmen, the Northern City Gate of Beijing, wherere the ancient bricks for constructing the city walls were once made. Today, however, the brick kiln has become a sparkling lake, around which Liuyin Park was developed. Linhuxuan Restaurant is in a courtyard on the eastern bank of the lake. Approaching the restaurant the scenery within the park is enchanting, the lake dotted with flickering lotuses and paddling ducks. During hot weather the light breeze from the lake is welcome if you sit on the dock, and the tranquil environment takes you away from everyday concerns.
The entry has a marvelous crystal wall, with cascading water within. This leads to a bright and spacious Chinese-style room, beyond which lies an elegant yet modern Chinese-style courtyard. Though miles from the bustling downtown, one will never be too far away from fashion.
The food is delicious. Apart from the special dishes mentioned earlier there are many others that also demonstrate the superb traditions and cooking techniques of the chefs, including four braised seafood treasures, steamed abalone with shark fin, pickled eggplant (braised with chicken soup before being pickled), stewed sea cucumber with ginseng, and goose tripe soup.
This is a place to try the very best of Chinese cuisine.
