De Xiang Lou (Chunfeng Plaza)

De Xiang Lou at Chunfeng Plaza in Lanzhou, Gansu province, is a sit-down Chinese restaurant in a shopping plaza, serving Gansu and broader Chinese banquet cooking. It is classified as mid-range, offering a more formal and comfortable meal than the city's noodle shops and grill houses. The kitchen is known for Gansu stews and braised dishes, which reflect the hearty, slow-cooked style of northwestern cuisine and are typically served in generous portions for sharing at a round table. The dining room has the character of a mall restaurant: air-conditioned, clean, with table service and a menu geared toward family meals, business dinners and small celebrations, and a noise level that is moderate rather than raucous. Tea is the standard accompaniment, and the restaurant is likely to offer beer and soft drinks as well, though the beverage programme is not a particular feature. Prices are mid-range for Lanzhou, with a meal generally costing about 80 to 150 yuan per person, roughly 11 to 21 US dollars. The rating is about 4.3. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 21:30. Reservations are advised for groups, particularly at weekends and around holidays, when family banquets fill the larger tables, and booking a day ahead is sensible for parties of six or more. Because the venue is inside a shopping plaza, it is convenient for diners combining a meal with shopping or errands, and it offers more comfort in extreme weather than street-front restaurants. Visitors who want a seated, multi-dish Chinese meal in a more formal setting, rather than a quick bowl of noodles, will find the format familiar, and sharing several dishes is the way the menu is designed to be enjoyed.