Since my office is close by, I just stumbled upon Qi Ye (Qing Tang Nan) 七爷清汤腩 by total accident because we were hungry and walking in the general direction of a handful of our regular office lunch go-to spots. What lured me in was not the slick wood and brick exterior, but a retro photo of Bruce Lee displayed on their wall. It caught our eye as something out of place for your average Chinese restaurant and we wanted to see more.
Slick Wood & Brick Exterior next to Pho Lab
Located next to Pho Lab and across from Great Leap Brewing #12, this Hong Kong noodle joint is a welcome new addition to the mix.
Stepping inside, you’ll see plenty of reference to Hong Kong in the form of neon signs, HK TV shows on screen and photos of Hong Kong street life. The set up is cozy with just 4-5 tables lined up in the long and narrow space and stool sitting against a long wall. Like Pho Lab’s table sauce selection of Hoisin sauce and Sriracha, they’ve got various HK chili sauces and condiments available for use at your disposal.
Dining Space
HK Themed Wall Decor
Their one-page menu is very straight-forward.
You’ve got a selection of “7-Yeah” or “7th Grandpa” thick or thin egg or rice noodles and a few rice options, all ranging from a very reasonable RMB 22-50. From beef brisket to pork feet and fish balls, you can choose your carb of choice and which meat/seafood items to top it off. Annoyingly, the three of us all wanted to order the same beef brisket, but at least we ordered in 3 different variations so that you can have an idea of the carb options.
7-Yeah “Thick” Noodles with Stewed Beef Brisket (RMB 32)
7-Yeah “Thin” Noodles with Stewed Beef Brisket (RMB 32)
7-Yeah Rice with Stewed Beef Brisket (RMB 32)
Overall, the spot is cute and though I may be biased because I have a soft spot for anything Hong Kong-related, I do like it and I’d recommend giving it a shot if you love HK soup noodles too. It won’t be a new favorite spot where I see myself becoming a regular and it’s not the best HK noodle soup around, but it’s a taste of Hong Kong in Beijing in a convenient location to me, and that’s never a bad thing. Prices are very reasonable and portions are decent. None of us were that full after our meal, but it was enough for a light lunch and it’s a good option to keep in mind when you’re looking for a quick ‘n carby lunch fix.
Though it will be tough competition for them to be literally right next door to Pho Lab’s amazing Pho, I’m sure that there are enough HK noodle slurpers to keep both places happy and busy.
The table next to us was going to town on the “Pork Feet” so that will have to be something to try out next visit!
Qi Ye Qing Tang Nan 七爷清汤腩 Details:
- Address: Next to Pho Lab, across from Great Leap Brewing #12, 7-9, 14-230 Xinzhong Jie Sitiao Hutong新中街14-230四条胡同7-9号
- Tel: 6416-1512
- Daily Hours: 11AM-Midnight
About Kristen
Kristen Lum has an accomplished background in PR, communications and events in China. Born and raised in California, Kristen has been based in Beijing since 2006 and is founder of the lifestyle blog called LumDimSum, covering mostly restaurant news and reviews alongside upcoming events around town that relate to Beijing’s muti-faceted, quickly-developing creative industries like art, music, film, health and fitness, fashion, nightlife, charity events, and travel tips.
