Luzhu Huoshao (Offal Stew with Bread)
Pork intestine, lung and fried tofu simmered in a dark soy broth, with pieces of dense wheat bread soaking it up, finished with garlic paste and chili oil.
How to eat it
Season it yourself from the pots on the table: garlic paste, chili oil and vinegar all cut through the richness, and most locals use all three. The bread is meant to be soft and soaked, not crisp. Intestine is chewy by nature; if a piece is too much, leave it, nobody minds.
The story behind the dish
The dish is a 19th-century economy version of a pork-belly stew served at the Qing court. Cooks near Qianmen replaced the expensive belly with intestine and lung, added fried tofu to stretch it, and dropped in pieces of firm baked bread so a single bowl became a full meal for labourers. It has kept that reputation as honest, cheap and strong-flavoured food, and most Beijingers have a firm opinion about which neighbourhood makes it best.
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.
If you have an allergy or something you can't eat, check with the staff before you order.