Tongzhou Xiaolou Restaurant and Braised Catfish

Tongzhou Xiaolou and Braised Catfish

　　　　    Braised catfish at Xiaolou is a local delicacy from Tongzhou, renowned far and wide. Why is it called Xiaolou? Who first created the braised catfish dish? There’s a truly fascinating story behind this.

　　    The Hui Muslim Xiaolou Restaurant was originally named “Yihe Xuan” and was established in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, which is 1900. At the beginning, it had just one storefront, with two connected rooms, offering seating inside where simple stir-fried dishes, dumplings, pies, and bean porridge were sold. Outside the front door, there was also a stall that served tea. It was operated as a partnership by four brothers—Li Zhenjun, Li Zhenrong, Li Zhenfu, and Li Zhenzong—with no additional staff. In reality, it was the second brother, Li Zhenrong, who developed the business. According to Li Fenghai, son of Li Zhenrong, a member of the China Democratic National Construction Association, and someone who managed the operations of Xiaolou for many years: the Li family had passed down culinary skills through generations and were known as the “Chef Lis.” They were experts in selecting quality meat, blending seasonings, and preparing dishes skillfully. At the time, although Xiaolou had a small storefront and not many dishes, it kept prices low and sold in volume. The food was high quality, generous in portion, and highly praised by working-class customers, who flocked to the restaurant from morning till night.

　　    As business boomed, the shop expanded to the left and extended toward the back. The storefront grew from one to two rooms, and the dining area expanded to six rooms. Staff were hired, and to create a space for resting at night, a small loft was built over the dining hall, with an entrance on the first floor and a movable wooden ladder for easy access. Yihe Xuan was adjacent to Qing’an Lou Restaurant to the north, which had three storefronts and was a two-story building—a long-established eatery. During the Ming Dynasty, Yan Song once inscribed the plaque with the characters “Nan Lou” (South Tower), so people commonly referred to Qing’an Lou as Nan Lou. Initially, Yihe Xuan had only one story and was much smaller compared to Nan Lou, hence it became known as “Xiao Lou” (Small Tower). Later, thanks to effective management, Xiaolou gained great fame, and the name Yihe Xuan faded from mention—the term “Xiao Lou” (Xiaolou) became its official title and has been used ever since. Xiaolou blended seamlessly with the ancient city of Tongzhou, contributing to its timeless charm. As a result, in 1960, the August First Film Studio came to Tongzhou to scout locations and filmed scenes for the feature film “Wildfire in Spring Wind, Fighting in the Ancient City” at Xiaolou and other sites.

　　    After the braised catfish dish was introduced, customers flocked in. Li Zhenrong insisted on high quality and thin profit margins, and business flourished more and more. Not only did working-class customers become regulars, but middle- and upper-class patrons also came specifically to try it. For a time, the place was bustling with activity, almost unable to keep up with the demand. From then on, it came to be known as a Tongzhou local specialty, alongside Dashaizhai’s sweetened fried dough and Wantong’s fermented tofu, collectively referred to as the “Three Treasures of Tongzhou.” In the 1950s, national leaders such as Peng Zhen and Liu Ren dined here, and the famous crosstalk master Hou Baolin also made a special trip to Tongzhou to enjoy the dish. In the 1990s, Xiaolou underwent a complete renovation, with a new three-story building erected. With its modern facilities and the traditional, authentic taste of its braised catfish, Xiaolou continues to attract diners from both China and abroad.

(Tongzhou, Beijing)