Today, we’d like to recommend a Hunan restaurant in Munich, which literally all Hunan natives praise immensely – XiangJu Restaurant (湘聚). Hunan food is famous for its bold, tongue-tingling heat, but here, the spice-averse can also find something mellower with European-friendly flair. In fact, regardless of spice tolerance or culinary preferences, there’re a few dishes you’ll spot on nearly every table. Now, let’s take a look at the undisputed stars of the menu.
Restaurant Profile
🏷️ Name of the Restaurant: XiangJu Restaurant (incl.menu)
📍 Adress: Metzstraße 8, 81667 München
🍜 Style: Chinese Cuisine – soup, stir-fries, rice dishes, noodles, salad, dim sum, dumplings etc.
💰 Price: around 20 – 30 EUR per Person (incl. Drinks and Tips)
Lei La Jiao Pi Dan (擂辣椒皮蛋) – Fiery & Creamy Pounded Chili & Century Egg Salad
This appetiser features smoky, blistered peppers & chili tangled with glossy, inky-black century eggs, all pounded into a rustic, addictive mash. It’s savory, smoky, spicy, and tangy all at once.
Cured in tea, ash, and lime, these duck eggs transform into creamy, silky delicacies with a hint of minerality. Their smooth, jelly-like texture tells high quality, with no strong ammonia taste!
Pound them together and let the peppers release their sweet juices, balancing the egg’s richness, while egg’s creaminess tames the fire – those chili seeds do pack a tingling burn!
The oyster mushrooms weep an earthy umami into the rich yolk, deepening creamy grey sauce, while the fragrant garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce tie it all together, making it bright and utterly addictive.
Mao Xue Wang (毛血旺) – Sichuan’s Fiery “Blood & Guts” Hot Pot
Fair warning: This is not a dish for the timid. A volcanic eruption of chili oil drowns slabs of duck blood, tripe, tender beef tongue, and vegetables in a deep crimson broth—so spicy it glows. For Sichuan/Hunan natives, it’s a treasured taste of home; for others, a dare.
The Broth is “red ocean” of chili oil (at least 50% of the bowl!) that’s shockingly clear—no murkiness, just pure, slick heat, plus Sichuan peppercorns for that signature numbing buzz (麻辣 málà).
The cast includes silky, jiggly duck blood tofu, crunchy, springy tripe & offal, slightly sweet sausage, tendon-ribbed beef, and succulent ox tongue.
These salty, umami bombs are then accompanied by veggie relief: napa cabbage, bean sprouts, and tofu—but beware, they “trap oil” and deliver extra heat.
Tip: start with meat first (less spicy), and veggies later (oil-soaked = hotter). For this numbing, electrifying bowl, rice as a heat shield is mandatory.
Xiao Chao Huang Niu Rou (小炒黄牛肉): Spicy Stir-Fried Yellow Beef
The second this dish hits the table, your nose knows it first—a riot of searing chili fumes, numbing peppercorns, and sizzling beef hits like a flavor grenade. Every table has one. Everyone is here for it, no matter if you’re a spice-seeker or spice-shy.
Yellow cattle (Huang Niu) are a prized Chinese breed, known for lean yet marbled meat that stays tender-chewy under high heat. These thin beef slices are seared until caramelized and springy-tender.
The red chilies are fresh, sharp, and spicy—they “stab” your nose when served, with sneaky numbing Sichuan Peppercorns (藤椒) buzzing in the background.
Cilantro throws in bright, herbal punches, while garlic & ginger adds in smoky, pungent notes.
It’s a spice-induced euphoria – the slow burn creeps in, but the meat’s so juicy, you keep going, until you’re sweating and reaching for more rice.
Nong Jia Yi Wan Xiang (农家一碗香) – “Farmer’s Happiness Bowl”
This dish features caramelized pork belly and golden pan-fried eggs, tangled up with fiery chilies. It smells like a Hunan grandmother’s kitchen.
The pork slices are thin and crisp-edged—each slice shatters a little, then gushes savory fat. They carry a smoky sear that typically comes from blistering-hot iron woks in rural Hunan homes – magically aromatic.
The eggs are pan-fried into golden sheets, then torn into cloud-soft sponges that soak up pork drippings.
Green & red chilies bring in fresh, bright heat. The fermented black beans (豆豉), tiny but mighty, add a funky, salty umami, while the leeks give a sweet, oniony crunch to cut through richness.
The seating at XiangJu is cozy, with window nooks under the warm lighting.
It isn’t just a place to brave chili-fired classics – they also offer milder flavors, like sweet-and-sour dishes, lighter stir-fries, and wheat & rice noodle bowls. There’re even rabbit meat & tea tree mushrooms (茶树菇).
The authentic dishes (like that addictive Farmer’s Happiness Bowl) hide deeper in the menu. You’ll have to flip through or ask the staff if unsure.
To the Hunan locals – when the nose-tingling chili highs mend homesickness and spices ignite the heart, even nostalgia tastes delicious, and every dish feels like coming home🔥🍚
