Kaifeng Diyilou in Kaifeng, Henan province.[Photo/kfdyl.com]

Juicy steamed buns.[Photo/kfdyl.com]

Kaifeng Diyilou, with it's headquarters in Kaifeng, Henan province, is a restaurant with a history of nearly 90 years. It was built in 1922 and was famous for one of Kaifeng's specialties, juicy steamed buns. The buns are said to "look like lanterns when they are lifted by chopsticks and chrysanthemums when they are put down."

Different from common steamed buns, the wrapper of juicy steamed buns in Diyilou is much thinner with abundant fillings tasting tender and soft. The filling of traditional buns is chilled pork, which is fat, but not greasy. Newly-developed buns have fillings including fish, chicken, mushrooms and shrimp meat.

Kaifeng's juicy steamed buns are unlike that of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Buns from the two provinces have meat fillings with a sweet taste, but buns from Kaifeng have no hints of sugar or any other sweet materials. Maybe people from central and northern China will like them better for that reason.

Shelley's evaluation: The Beijing branch of Kaifeng Diyilou is located at No. 276, Dongsi Beidajie Street, Dongcheng district. Buns with traditional pork fillings are better than with other fillings here, but not as delicious as those from the restaurant in Kaifeng, Henan province. Juice of the buns in this restaurant is not as abundant as those in Kaifeng. However, if you come to eat the buns for the first time, it is enough for you to taste the basic essence of the dish.

Other dishes on the menu are of different qualities, some are good while some are not so good. The environment of the restaurant is not delicate and the service needs improvement. Buns and dishes are not expensive here. The average price is around 35 yuan per person.

In summary, juicy steamed buns are delicious here, but never expect more.