Da Hua Jian Bing 大华煎饼

煎饼 (Jiān Bǐng) is the superstar of Beijings breakfast scene. A beloved morning delight, this savoury pancake or crepe – also known as Jian Bing is a favourite among locals AND ME for its convenience and awesome flavours.

Arriving this little Hutong at 8 a.m., and some early birds were already digging into Jian Bing out on the street. Took us some time to find this small joint, a real “Hole In The Wall” kinda place. And let me tell you, not having the right way to pay in China can be a real headache. But the Jeje behind the curtain was super nice and explained things in English, giggling at my very adorable Mandarin – probably sounds like a foreign comedy act to her.

This was my first time trying Jian Bing, so I was ready for anything. We decided to go all out and ordered the ‘SUPER’ packed with double bacon and double cheese. While we waited, I peeked at the action behind the griddle and watched the magic unfold. And believe it or not, in just around 5 minutes, our steaming hot Jiān Bǐng was ready.

Imagine this:

Layers of crunchiness, cheese, and bacon. The aroma was driving me nuts, taking the picture and waiting to dig in was just torture. That first bite, oh dear, it was sizzling hot, with a big burst of egg flavour and a hit of scallion. Then, oh god, you hit the crispy part, and next thing you know, the cheese and bacon are dancing around in your mouth. It’s like a flavour orgy and texture fiesta all at once. Me and my friend didn’t even need to talk – we both gave it a solid 10 out of 10 without missing a beat.

I‘m usually not a fan of eating at the middle of the street, but this little spot changed my mind. The Hutong wasn’t too crowded, and thankfully, no weird smells around. Eating this amazing Jian Bing right there on the street actually felt pretty cool, like sucking in the local vibes. And let me tell you, this breakfast adventure set the tone for a seriously wonderful day.

Address: No 21 Beijianzi Alley

地址：北剪子巷21号悠惠万家超市内