Gaojianmin Restaurant (高建民酒楼)

Gaojianmin Restaurant (高建民酒楼) is a Shijiazhuang donkey-meat-burger specialist opened in 1998, in the capital of Hebei province in northern China. The restaurant has repeatedly appeared on Dianping's Must Eat list, the local review platform's curated ranking of recommended restaurants, which has made it a regular recommendation for visitors seeking the city's signature street food in a proper restaurant setting. The exact address varies by branch, and the listing advises searching 高建民酒楼 in Amap or Baidu Maps for the nearest outlet in central Shijiazhuang. The cuisine centres on the donkey meat burger (驴肉火烧), a crisp pan-baked flatbread stuffed with slow-braised, chopped donkey meat, priced at about 9 to 15 yuan. Hebei's saying about donkey meat, that heaven has dragon meat and earth has donkey meat, is often quoted, and this restaurant follows the regional style of braising with a spice blend until the meat is tender and rich. The second signature dish is donkey meat noodle soup, at about 18 to 25 yuan, which gives diners a warm, brothy alternative to the burger. The dining room is casual and brisk, with simple tables, quick turnover and a mostly local lunchtime crowd; dress is casual and noise levels are typical of a popular daytime eatery. Beverages are limited to tea, soft drinks and the soup itself. The restaurant is open from about 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily. Reservations are not taken and are not needed, since the service is walk-in and the food is prepared quickly. Because the dishes are cheap and filling, a full meal costs only a few US dollars. Visitors who want to compare the Shijiazhuang version with the burgers of Baoding and Hejian can use this restaurant as a reference point.