The eager customers waiting outside the door of Hutong of Beijing near Roppongi Hills were braving the cold night for a good reason— the delicious and hearty portions of authentic Chinese cuisine inside. When a table freed up, we were warmly welcomed into the rustic interior. Our group started the evening with a round of chilled Tsingtao beers before digging our chopsticks into a fiery selection from the reasonably priced menu.
As this was my first visit, I hoped the food would live up to the array of flavors that I’ve tasted in Beijing—and I wasn’t disappointed. Hutong specializes in delicious Chinese classics, from Peking style oven baked duck (one plate for one to two people, ¥1,500; a whole duck for four to six people, ¥4,900) to a variety of spicy soups and ramen dishes.
“The bold heat of dried chillies mixed with garlic and peppercorns gave the soup a nice oriental kick.”
I started with hand rolled gyoza dumplings (six for ¥390, twelve for ¥780), which were of a much higher quality than any of the frozen varieties served in Japanese bars and izakaya. For my main dish I decided on the Szechuan black sesame noodle soup (¥980). The bold heat of dried chillies mixed with garlic and peppercorns gave the dish a nice oriental kick. Szechwan influences from the southwestern region make the menu stand out from other Chinese restaurants. Other recommended dishes include the homemade hot pots with a choice of soup bases, including pork bone soup, soy sauce soup, and citrus orange yuzu soup (prices depend on the choice of ingredients and range from ¥1,180 to ¥2,200). Hutong is named after tiny historic alleys and courtyards that crisscross the Chinese capital. At this two-story eatery, the atmosphere, as well as the smells and tastes of these narrow streets, has been successfully transported to Roppongi.
Open daily for lunch (11:30am–3pm, last order 2:30pm) and dinner (5:30–11pm, last order 10pm Mon–Fri; 10:30pm Sat–Sun) 5-10-19 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tel: 03-5770-2280Map
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