Lao Wang's Roasted Cumin Lamb

Lao Wang's Roasted Cumin Lamb operates on Dapiyuan Street in Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, opening only in the evening to grill whole racks of lamb over charcoal, rubbed generously with cumin and chili spice. The kitchen's centerpiece is a whole roasted lamb rack, carved tableside for sharing, its exterior blackened and spiced while the meat stays tender; cumin lamb chops offer a smaller portion for diners not ready to commit to the full rack. Flatbread is served alongside for wrapping the meat, in a style that echoes the roujiamo sandwiches found throughout the Muslim Quarter but scaled up around a whole cut of lamb rather than a chopped filling. The stall's evening-only hours and open-flame grilling give it a smoky, after-dark atmosphere distinct from the district's daytime snack stalls, with the smell of roasting cumin lamb drawing passersby from the surrounding lanes. There is minimal formal seating, mostly stools set around the grill, and reservations are recommended on weekend evenings when demand for the whole roasted rack can outpace the stall's grilling capacity.