Beijing's most famous court cuisine is undoubtedly Lijia cuisine. Legend has it that the Li family's cuisine originated from the evening imperial diet, and the predecessors of the Li family, who served as housekeepers, learned the recipes, and their descendants Li Shanlin began to open a restaurant in the form of private dishes in the 80s, specializing in palace flavors and Beijing flavors. At present, Li Jiacai has a main store at No. 11 Yangfang Hutong and a branch in Dongtangzi Hutong in Beijing, and branches in Shanghai, Tokyo, Taipei, Paris and other places outside Beijing, which are respectively managed by three women and one man of the late Li Shanlin; In 2018, the restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, was awarded a star in the Michelin Guide, and the Shanghai branch was named one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2014. In terms of the blessing of celebrity halo, I am afraid that no restaurant can compete with Lijia cuisine. The mystery of the small shops in the hutongs and the restaurant's original way of serving only one table of dishes per night soon attracted foreign friends, who first came to visit by envoys from various countries in China, and then became famous for the butterfly effect of Lijia cuisine. Since its opening in 1985, Li Jiacai has received ambassadors, dignitaries and heads of state from more than a dozen countries, including the former Treasury Secretary of the United States, the former Prime Minister of Australia, the former President of Iceland, the Queen of the Netherlands, the former Prime Minister of Canada, and the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Boxing champion Ali, Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger, Bill Gates, Stanley Ho, Jackie Chan, Mei Baojiu, Jin Yong, Stephen Chow, Andy Lau, Luo Dayou, Yang Zhenning and other celebrities from all walks of life have also visited. Such a star-studded visitor list also brings more legend to Lijiacai. Lijia cuisine implements a set meal system, and generally does not accept direct ordering. There are more than 10 sets of menus to choose from, and the average price per person is between 300 and 3,000 yuan, and the Jinbao Street store starts at 600 yuan. Most of the dishes in each set of menus are not fixed, and the difference in price is mainly reflected in the big dishes, which can be regarded as rich and frugal. Most of the appetizers of Lijia cuisine are classic Beijing-style snacks, such as fried gouge, stir-fried salty shi, fried sesame tofu, mustard dun, sesame duck, pepper sesame chicken, jade tofu, drum board prawns, spicy beef, Beijing bacon, shrimp and celery heart, etc. Jade tofu is one of the dishes of the Li family, legend has it that this dish is Cixi's favorite, but it has long existed in name only, and it is difficult to find it elsewhere, and the Li family's interpretation of it is wonderful: peeled edamame beans are crushed into puree, scallop shell meat is fresh and then thawed naturally, it is dense and fluffy, changed into fine dices, mixed with edamame paste, quickly stir-fried, the finished product is like tofu, the color is verdant and gentle, the taste is dense and soft, the bean fragrance and seafood complement each other, and the taste is mild and fresh. Mustard dun is a household dish that can be seen everywhere in the capital, the cabbage is cut horizontally into vegetable dun, and then pickled with mustard. The mustard dun of Lijia cuisine is not as vigorous as other Beijing restaurants, the amount of mustard is just right, so as not to choke, and the vegetable dun is sour and crispy, so that it will not be overcooked and lose the original taste of cabbage. Sesame tofu, Beijing bacon, spicy beef, sesame duck, etc., the taste has been carefully adjusted, and after some effort, such as sesame tofu has abandoned the traditional mutton fat stir-frying, and the taste is lighter. Compared with the appetizer cold cuts, the hot dishes of Lijia cuisine are much inferior, although there are not many mistakes, but they also lack deep memory points. Depending on the course chosen, there are many differences in the specific hot dishes. Lijia cuisine's classic Jinglu style dishes such as braised sea cucumber with green onions, roasted deer tendon with green onions, and abalone in original sauce are all contrary to the traditional practice of using thick sauce. For example, the original abalone, the top Japanese net abalone is selected, cooked in the broth with the scallops, and when the juice is collected, the natural fish maw is used instead of starch to thicken, the taste is more sweet, and there is no sense of dragging and stickiness in the entrance. Sea cucumber and deer tendon are also lightly watered, and although the taste is light, the ingredients themselves have little flavor and the seasoning is monotonous and stiff, which is difficult to impress diners. The home-style flavor of fried eggplant with rice is delightful, the sauce is rich, the long eggplant with skin is fragrant and moist, and the minced meat and shrimp are fresh and refreshing, simple and delicious, and it is very good for rice. Sweet and sour and stir-fried Beijing cuisine sketches, such as sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried prawns, etc., are fragrant and crispy, quite standard. Braised three fresh fish in fin soup and braised grouper are sweet and delicious, and they are also worth recommending. Lijia cuisine in the Yangfang Hutong can be summed up by the word "simple", the space is small, and the seats are cramped. Jinbao Street store is located in the former residence of Cai Yuanpei in Dongtangzi Hutong, and the environment is slightly better than this store. The Kam Bao Street store has a separate meal system, and the presentation is more refined than that of the old store, which will be more suitable for formal banquets. The Yangfang Hutong restaurant is a large-plate meal, but it is also counted by the head. If you look at Li Jia cuisine according to the requirements of top restaurants, then these two Li Jia cuisines in Beijing may disappoint you. The restaurant's level of service is decent, but still far from the "Michelin-class" service; The environment, style, presentation and shape of the restaurant are also very different from the top meals; In China, their comprehensive level is not even as good as that of their Shanghai branches. If you want to try Lijia cuisine, it is recommended to lower your expectations, put aside all kinds of halos, and only treat it as a hutong restaurant, maybe you can better feel the charm of Beijing cuisine and palace cuisine.