Because I've recently started following a lot of Douyin and Xiaohongshu influencer restaurant check-ins, I've been going with Dabao to experience them every weekend. We've been doing this for a while now, so I'm jotting down some memories of the small restaurants we've encountered.
There have been quite a few disappointing places, as well as some unexpected experiences, so this document will record our ongoing "debunking" process. Of course, the scoring criteria will be based on our own unconventional methods, roughly as follows:
- Travel costs
- Boss's temperament and service staff's attitude
- Dining experience
- Authenticity of food
Of course, for small restaurants, a lot of the time you're eating the current atmosphere of life, so there's no need to be particularly harsh about factors like the environment, just be happy~
Blue-robed traveler
This is a very mysterious restaurant, the mystery being that it's located in a high-end residential area, and the first time you go you might wonder how a restaurant could be here. If I had to summarize three impressions: tranquil environment, the owner is very talkative, and the dishes are unique. It takes about an hour to get there from Hangzhou, and it's right next to the famous Qingshan Lake running track.
There are many delicious things here, but the owner will kindly remind you not to order too much because you won't be able to finish it. If you have time, you can try the hand-beaten beef balls and their stir-fried beef. Of course, the owner will also recommend their Hainanese chicken hot pot, which is very wonderful when paired with some Hakka-style dipping sauces.
The owner is also very chatty, you can choose to go when there are fewer people (the trade-off is that there won't be much food left), but you might have the chance to sit down and chat with the owner. The owner has requirements for the decor and the diners, preferring to earn less money in order to ensure diners eat well and taste the flavors of home. The restaurant is not large, with only one big table, so it's highly recommended for groups of three to five friends or small families. After eating, you can also take a walk in this upscale residential area. The average cost per person is around 80, and underground parking in the residential area is free.
【蓝衫客·客家菜】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 临安美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Highly Recommended]
Willingness to Return: As long as I'm not busy, it's worth driving over an hour to go.
Ajun Restaurant
This restaurant is known for its "chicken intestine hot pot" and "vinegar-fried chicken." The location is a bit tricky to find, as it's in an old neighborhood. Parking can be inconvenient if you drive; you might have to park in nearby street parking lots. Overall, if you're not from the Lin'an area, this place is not recommended considering the travel distance and the taste. Furthermore, their two signature dishes were honestly very disappointing. The chicken used in the "vinegar-fried chicken" was old, making it tough and not tender. The "chicken intestine hot pot" is even less recommended; the chicken intestines were tasteless and very hard. I don't know where the positive reviews on Dianping came from; they even dare to call it the number one duck intestine hot pot... it's truly overrated.
Also, the air conditioning in this store isn't good, it's very hot eating there in the summer, and it's very crowded. Maybe many people are drawn there by the false reputation.
【阿军饭店】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 临安美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Not Recommended]
Willingness to Return: Not even if the Earth were to be destroyed
Pigtail
This noodle shop is located in a very scenic area (Longwu), on a small hillside, surrounded by tea trees. It seems to be run by locals, and the business is surprisingly good. Even in the heat of summer, there's a constant stream of people going there to eat noodles (this place is very suitable for visiting in spring and autumn, when the weather is not hot, you can also stroll around the tea garden). The average price per person for their noodles is around 40 yuan or more. Their famous dishes include bullfrog ban mian and kidney ban mian. The overall taste is quite good, with strong flavors in the seasonings. You can also add some swimming crab for an extra 100+ yuan.
The only small regret is that it's very hot in the summer, and their air-conditioned room only has about five tables, so most people have to eat outside under a canopy. Oh, and I saw the chef, there was indeed one person with a small braid. In terms of travel, it takes about 30 minutes to drive there from Xixi.
By the way, there's also a reservoir night market here, you can check it out at night. There's a very minimalist-style villa next to this restaurant, I'm curious who the owner is.
【小辫子】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 杭州美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Recommended]
Willingness to Revisit: Very willing to go again in spring and autumn
Old Mao fried fried
It's said to be the pinnacle of fried skewers in old Yuhang. I've been there a few times, and overall, I think it's okay, but it's not quite at the pinnacle level. It's a family-run workshop opened by an old man in the village. Whether or not it's open depends entirely on the old man's mood. So, if you're driving from the city, be sure to contact him in advance. Otherwise, you might get there and call him, only to have him say he's drinking in the village.
Their home's fried skewers, from my experience, can be mainly divided into two parts. One part is ready-made ingredients (looking like they were bought directly from the market), and the other part is marinated by themselves. The overall feeling of the self-marinated ones is different. There are not many seats in the shop, just a few, and when there are a lot of people, you can only squat in the field next to it. Then, eating small skewers like ham sausage and chicken legs, it really gives you the feeling of secretly eating by the roadside after school when you were a kid before going home. I guess most people go for this feeling. Sometimes there are a lot of people, so if you are going there intentionally, it is recommended to go in the afternoon, before meal times.
Because their place is in a rural residential area, you can park anywhere as long as it's empty. But don't think you can just park in someone else's yard. Once, in the winter, when we went to eat there, a not-so-bright customer parked his car in the backyard of a house (thinking that if the gate was open, he could park there). Then the owner of the yard locked the gate and told him that he was going out for drinks.
Since I started working out, I've basically avoided these things, so I was curious when I noticed that their tricycle sign on the side of the road was gone the last time I passed by. I'm guessing it's because of the road construction.
【老毛油炸炸】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 杭州美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Recommended]
Willingness to Return: Can't go after losing weight
Old Man Fan's Rice Noodle Casserole
If you like fried rice noodles, this place is worth checking out. It's at the end of Yile Road, and parking isn't very convenient. Besides rice noodles and casseroles, they also offer some braised dishes, especially the chicken feet, which are quite tender, though a bit pricey. Of course, in addition to these items, you can also ask the owner to cook stir-fries for you, which is kind of a hidden skill. Because it's located near an old residential area, it tends to be crowded, with many regulars from the neighborhood. Since the business is sometimes quite busy, the owner can be forgetful, so if you order extra dishes, you need to remind them to make them.
【凡老头米线砂锅(天目山路店)】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 杭州美食 - 大众点评网
Of course, in such small restaurants, you often eat for the taste, the environment is usually just okay, and by the way, don't go at night, it's usually crowded.…
Recommendation Index: [Recommended]
Willingness to Return: Will not go intentionally, occasionally depends on mood
Grain in Ear
A small shop near Intime in the west of the city, offering noodles and rice bowls. Most of the owner and staff are from Lanxi, Jinhua, so the food has a Jinhua flavor. I discovered this place by chance while driving by. At first glance, the name made me think it was a clothing store, but it turned out to be a small restaurant with a few long tables. I highly recommend the chicken gizzard noodles and their stir-fried beef. Of course, the rice bowls are also good. Overall, the value for money is excellent, with an average cost of around 40 yuan per person. Most of the customers are regulars from the nearby Wanjia Huacheng and Fangjia Huayuan residential areas.
If you're not in the mood for noodles in the summer, you can order a bowl of their homemade mung bean soup or soy milk, which is also quite delightful. For those living near the InCity West Hangzhou, if you're unsure what to eat for lunch, you can have a bowl of noodles this summer, it's incredibly satisfying. Also, the cashier auntie is very nice, and you can chat with her when she's not busy.
If you drive, you can park directly in the open space in front of his shop, or you can park at the car wash next door.
【芒種(城西银泰店)】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 杭州美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Recommended]
Willingness to Return: Will go occasionally on weekends when I don't know what to eat
Sana Restaurant
You probably would never guess that there's a Middle Eastern restaurant in a residential community, or rather, it shouldn't be called a restaurant, a more accurate description would be a shop run by a couple where the husband is Middle Eastern and also the chef. This place is in Shima Community, which is an old residential area opposite Zhejiang University of Technology, where most of the residents are relocated households and university students. It's also next to a foreign language school, so most of the restaurant's customers are international students.
Since I haven't had authentic Middle Eastern food before, I can't be sure if this flavor is genuine, but it definitely has a unique taste. The first time you open the menu, you'll notice that all the dishes seem similar, yet have some small differences. If you have time to eat, you can order an Arabic flatbread, then fries, chicken wings, and rice (it was the first time I discovered that these things could actually be mixed together). The rice should also be imported, not like the rice we have here. Their rice is more slender and fragrant when you eat it.
If you ask the proprietress for recommendations, she will most likely recommend their own grilled fish. It is indeed quite good. Although the outer layer is a bit burnt, the inside is very tender and flavorful.
Sometimes their youngest son is also in this small shop. What's particularly funny is that he keeps opening the refrigerator to drink the beverages, and even though he's been scolded several times, he still goes to open it and drink. By the way, the beverages seem to be from the Middle East, and there aren't many of them, probably brought back by the owner himself.
【萨娜餐厅】电话,地址,价格,营业时间(图) - 杭州美食 - 大众点评网
Recommendation Index: [Recommended]
Willingness to Return: A little far, would go if I think of it
There's more, and we're continuously adding... Of course, we also welcome recommendations for good places, please leave a message, and we will definitely go~