Long history

In addition to its imperial cuisine and local food, Beijing boasts numerous outlets serving food from other areas of the country.

The Laoxi'an Restaurant, founded in 1954 in Xicheng district, serves dishes from the northwestern province of Shaanxi.

The Shaanxi cooking style, also known as Qin cuisine, is one of the oldest in China, dating to the Yangshao period about 5,000 years ago.

Most customers at the restaurant order the traditional Shaanxi dish of yangrou paomo, a mutton soup with chopped steamed bread.

In 1956, Chairman Mao Zedong dined at the restaurant.

Bai Musha, the restaurant's general manager, said it is always highly popular in winter, as customers want hot soup with mutton or beef to provide energy.

"I love the mutton shashlik at our restaurant the most. Our chef has a real talent for cooking mutton," he said.

To meet demand, the restaurant also serves soups in other flavors, such as beef, chicken, mushroom and seafood.

"Temperatures are falling in Beijing, which means we are seeing more customers every day. At the busiest time, some 200 people are waiting outside for tables," Bai said.

Zhang Qiang, a white-collar worker from Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi, often has lunch at the restaurant.

He said that initially he did not know it was a well-established business.

"I work nearby and I think that spending 40 yuan for a delicious lunch in a city like Beijing is very reasonable. It's convenient, fast and is a taste of home," he said.

"Knowing the restaurant has a long history, I trust the quality of the food. However, most of all, I just love having a delicious, hot meal on a cold winter's day, no matter how many years the business has been operating," he said.