Throwback Thursday: A Look Back at Why We're All Mantou Mad

Throwback Thursday takes a look back into Beijing's past, using our nine-year-strong blog archives as the source for a glance at the weird and wonderful of yesteryear.

The trends come and go with each year, season and, sometimes even by the week. Not only do our sweaters from last year need to be replaced this winter if we want to fit into the trendy Beijing crowd, but also the newest, coolest cocktail bar that opened last month may have already been topped by something bigger, fancier, and hipper.

However, not everything is carried away with any new gush of wind. Some Beijing places are cemented in time and keep their popularity regardless of the season or time of day. With all the love for carbs throughout history in all the cultures of the world, it should come as no surprise that the place we were talking about in 2011 sells mantou.

Those steamed balls of plain dough make people wait in queues for hours. You know that spot on the other side of the street of Nanluoguxiang that's always too busy to even attempt the queuing? It is now, in 2017, just as it was in 2011, when one of our brave writers headed out on a mission to find out what is so special about those mantou buns under the intriguing title, "How Long Would you Line up For Mantou?" (as long as it takes, obviously). Apparently, the specialty that had Beijingers going mad-tou for years is in the method making of the dough (qiang mian) by adding dry flour to the dough while kneading with your hands.

With stories of paid professional queuers floating between netizens, the little store has that workaround covered: The white paper sign under the menu says one person is not allowed to buy more than 60 mantou or 20 bean stuffed buns. No hustle in the queue here.

For the soft and loving dough balls to reach your mouth, it could reportedly take up to two and a half hours of queueing. That was back in 2011, and the humble store is still going strong! Think about all your "old favorites" in the area that have recently closed down, only to be mourned for a week and then forgotten. This little survivor doesn't even show any signs of a struggle: no Beijinger ads, no happy hours, no fancy-schmancy stuff – just bread, the stuff of life.

Even with all the hype of the elderly (though with their frail shuffling and mild manners, "hype" might not be the appropriate word), the verdict of the Beijinger writer in 2011 was quite disappointing –  he simply didn't find anything special in the buns. However, talking to a few longtime fans of the brand and its bread, they all confirmed that these Shandong Qiang Mian Mantou Dian buns are something special, indeed. A general hole-in-the-wall street food rule: If you see more than ten senior Beijingers lining up at the store, they have probably been doing that for years and it's most likely worth it.

Don't always trust the reviews (especially if they are from years ago) and seek a sunny day for people watching and mantou queuing. Itinerary for the next Friday: Dada until 5am, and then run to be first in the queue for the famous mantou – a weekend well spent.

Images: the Beijinger, i.YTIMG.com

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