Xing Hua Tang, Nanzhonghuan Branch (杏花堂 南中环店)

Xing Hua Tang, Nanzhonghuan Branch, is a refined Shanxi restaurant in Suite BF201 on the second floor of Building B, Shanxi International Financial Center, 426 Nanzhonghuan Street, Xiaodian District, Taiyuan. The branch sits in a business district near Taiyuan South Station, in the capital of Shanxi province in northern China, and presents Jin cuisine with more polish than the city's casual eateries. It is rated 4.5 by local diners and sits in the moderate price bracket.

The menu concentrates on Shanxi classics prepared to a more careful standard. Traditional sweet-and-sour meatballs are a house signature, built on the sweet and tangy glaze characteristic of Taiyuan cooking. Guoyou rou, the city's flash-fried pork coated in a glossy sweet-sour sauce, is the other staple, and braised Yellow River carp, a Shanxi banquet classic, completes the signature set. Aged vinegar and wheat-based accompaniments appear throughout.

The dining room is calmer and more modern than a traditional old-town restaurant, in keeping with its office-tower location. The clientele is a mix of business diners at lunch and families in the evening, with a quieter noise level and tables suited to both small and larger groups. Beverages follow the usual Chinese restaurant pattern of tea, soft drinks and beer.

The restaurant opens 11:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00. Reservations are recommended; visitors are advised to book ahead or arrive early for dinner, as the room can fill. Because the venue is inside an office building rather than at street level, visitors should look for Building B and head to the second floor. Its position near the high-speed rail station makes it handy for travellers arriving or leaving by train.