Loulan Restaurant (穆思楼兰餐厅)

Loulan Restaurant (穆思楼兰餐厅) is a Muslim-friendly Xinjiang restaurant at No. 53 Zhenzhong Second Road in Chancheng District, Foshan, Guangdong Province. It serves halal Xinjiang cuisine, the cooking of China's far northwest, which draws on Uyghur and Central Asian traditions and differs sharply from the Cantonese cooking of Guangdong. The name Loulan refers to an ancient kingdom on the Silk Road in what is now Xinjiang. The restaurant's listed dishes are whole roasted lamb, skewers, lamb pilaf and big-plate chicken. Whole roasted lamb is a celebratory centrepiece that is carved at the table and usually needs to be ordered ahead. Lamb skewers are seasoned with cumin and chilli and grilled over heat. Lamb pilaf, known as polo or zhua fan, is rice cooked with lamb, carrot and onion until rich and savoury. Big-plate chicken, or dapanji, is a stew of chicken, potatoes and peppers served on a large plate over hand-pulled noodles, and it feeds several diners. As halal cooking, pork is not served, which makes the restaurant a useful option for Muslim travellers in Foshan. No Michelin recognition or chef lineage is confirmed. The dining room is casual and convivial, with shared plates, and the atmosphere is warm and busy at dinner; dress is casual. Tea, soft drinks and non-alcoholic drinks are typical, and alcohol may not be served at halal venues, so visitors should check. Reservations are recommended for whole roast lamb, which should be ordered ahead, and for groups. Opening hours have not been verified. Spending is about CNY 70-150 per person (roughly USD 10-22), depending on whether a whole lamb is ordered. Groups of four or more make it easier to try the lamb, pilaf and big-plate chicken together. Visitors can ask the staff to confirm halal certification and the spice level when ordering.