香院4号私家菜(菊胡同店)

Hidden deep in the alley, the courtyard fell silent as soon as the wooden door was pushed open. The rooms were simply furnished with tables and chairs, white walls and old wooden windows, evoking memories of afternoons at my grandmother's house when I was a child. The waiters spoke softly and walked slowly, as if afraid to disturb the cats sunbathing on the windowsill. I ordered a steamed sea bass; the fish was freshly killed and served steaming hot. With a gentle nudge of the chopsticks, the garlic cloves and meat slid right off; dipped in a little soy sauce, it was so delicious I forgot to speak. Outside the window stood an old locust tree, its leaves casting swaying shadows on the blue brick ground.

This restaurant is so generous! Four of us ordered a set meal, and it only cost a little over 300 yuan per person. The fish head soup bowl was bigger than my face! The stir-fried pork kidneys were tender, and the stir-fried vegetables were also plentiful. We were all stuffed in the end. Don't you also like this kind of generous portion?

This restaurant's set meals are quite good value, and the dishes aren't expensive either. I brought my elderly family members here last time, and they were very satisfied. It just gets crowded during peak hours, so if you're coming, arrive early, otherwise you'll have to wait for a table.