Lao Sun Jia
Beilin, Xi'an
A century-old institution serving the definitive Xi'an lamb paomo - bread torn, broth poured.
Lao Sun Jia has been feeding Xi'an since 1898, and its lamb paomo - flatbread you tear into the bowl before it is drowned in rich mutton broth - is the city's defining comfort dish. You tear, a waiter takes your bowl, and the kitchen returns it steaming.
Go with the Xi'an breakfast mentality: this is a meal, not a ceremony. English menus exist, and pointing at the paomo photo works fine.
Best for: A taste of Xi'an that predates the Terracotta Army hype.
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