Tong Sheng Xiang

Tong Sheng Xiang was opened around 1920 by the Hui Muslim Zhang brothers near Xi'an's Zhubashi quarter, specializing in halal beef-and-mutton paomo. Later folded into the Xi'an Catering group, it ranks among the city's long-established halal houses.

Its paomo is known for a heavy, mellow flavor, tender meat, dense broth, and springy bread, and it is one of the acknowledged standards for Xi'an paomo, as well as the first restaurant in the northwest placed under national intangible-heritage protection.

Every step, from sourcing and simmering meat to broth-making, seasoning, and the final cooking of the bread, follows strict practice. The broth is slow-cooked from beef and mutton bones with many spices, and the hand-torn bread is boiled to each diner's preferred broth level.

As a Time-Honored Brand and national intangible-heritage custodian, Tong Sheng Xiang sustains a century-old halal paomo tradition and concentrates the food craft of Xi'an's Hui community.