Yuan Ji barbecue can be called one of the legendary shops in Changsha. For the post-80s and 90s generations who grew up near Yanshan Street, this long-established barbecue restaurant that has been here since 1995 can be called a taste of childhood memories.
Yuan Kee barbecue is an authentic Changsha local barbecue pie, with "skewers" as the unit, with a minimum of 3 skewers. The menu is much richer than that of Zhengge, including beef, pork, chicken and some seafood, which can satisfy the needs of most diners. Beef skewers are a must-order dish for every diner, made from ordinary frozen beef, but the skewers are juicy, the meat is smooth and tender, and the aroma of the oil also reveals obvious umami, which shows the amazing craftsmanship of the owner. Roast beef tendon is also highly recommended by diners. You can feel a noticeable chewiness in the mouth, and the chili powder and cumin enhance the flavor during chewing, but the oil flavor is bland. Except for the sweet grilled sausages, there are few memory points on other skewers.
Nowadays, the boss of Yuan Kee has gradually transferred the barbecue work to his son, and many diners have reported that the performance of the barbecue skewers has decreased slightly. There are only a few tables in the store, and the environment is cluttered. Overall, if you're a sentimental diner, make a special trip here to experience the "taste of memory" of local diners.
The other two Changsha local barbecue "time-honored brands" mentioned above - Hu Xi Bicycle Barbecue and Jiang Ge Barbecue are no longer in the limelight. The former has been run by Hu Dai for decades and has a high status in the hearts of many old Changsha. Now Hu Tai is no longer in charge of the barbecue work in the store due to physical reasons, and the business of the store is no longer hot. Brother Jiang's barbecue was moved from Liucheng Bridge to Chaohui Road, and in order to attract regular customers, the store was renamed Liuchengqiao Jiang Ge Barbecue (formerly known as "Uncle Jiang's barbecue"). Brother Jiang is still in charge of the barbecue in the store, and the taste is still the same as it was at the beginning. However, its thick seasoning cover makes it difficult to feel the original taste of the food, and it is difficult to gain the approval of new diners today. After all considerations, Trust Choice did not include these two barbecue restaurants in this list.
