*** Eat It is a regular feature that cuts to the core of a given restaurant's menu, highlighting a specialty, favorite, or otherwise good thing to eat. *** Alright, so a bit of a contrast with the last article on kungpao chicken, but back on track with some of the best lesser-known bites around town. This week, we're doing "braised fish heads with paobing" (“bubble-fried" bread). In Beijing, Wangshunge is synonymous with Dongbei-style fish head. Opened in 1999, they've since expanded the empire to nine locations around the city, and in 2012 alone, they claim to have sold over 255,000 fish heads in town. These guys are serious about their fish heads. We checked out their most famous location, the one in Dawanglu. It's the one with "Fish Head Restaurant" in bright lights right on the front. You know what you're getting into. "Fish head with paobing" is a specialty of Dongbei cuisine. Now, contrary to what you might think, they don't just hack the heads off any old fish and throw them onto a plate. Instead, they use the head of just one: the silver carp. This fish. Is huge. The smallest serving that they offer is 4 jin (斤) (58rmb/jin). We saw one being carted out of the kitchen that had to be carried by three people. The platter was almost three feet across. The silver carp fish head is braised in a mixture of soy, leeks, ginger, and the rest of the Chinese kitchen sink. Then, they put it on a big plate, throw in a pound or two or pork belly for good measure, and the result is what keeps this huge restaurant bustling every day of the week. So, fish head. It's what's for dinner. Here it is: Are you still with me? Still reading? Good job. Pat yourself on the back. The truth is, because of the anatomy of some fish, the head can offer up some of the most tender and flavorful meat you can get. Also, because of the sheer size of these silver carps, there's plenty to go around. The meat comes off the bone in huge, tender flakes. The taste is mild, somewhere between the chicken breast of the sea (tilapia) and some of the slightly oilier fishes. The sauce, after stewing for a good while, has great depth with layers of salty, sweet, and even meaty flavors. The sauce coats the entirety of your mouth thanks to the lip-smacking goodness that comes from the collagen. The stuff is seriously addicting. And that's why they give you the bing. The bing is slightly crisp on the outside but still a little chewy and ever-so-slightly doughy. Despite being pan-fried, it was not oily at all; the texture resembled more of the kind of dumpling you would get in chicken and dumplings (albeit much smaller and lighter), which is perfect for sopping up the sauce. The menu is rounded out with some other pretty solid fresh seafood options. I have heard the crab and turtle dishes are both sound here. I would and will come back soon. One of the other highly recommended dishes is the salt and pepper tea mushrooms (38rmb), which come fried in a heavily salted/peppered rice flour batter. They offer was a nice crunch, but some bites came off a little too salty. So, that's it. Dongbei fish head. A couple of parting pieces of advice: -Do not order the "“special” vegetable salad on the menu. It's 48rmb for a bowl of iceberg lettuce and a little bit of shaved purple cabbage. Just unbelievable. No. Simply put, absolutely do not order the special salad. -Unless you are really hungry, try to get at least 3 people together for the meal -- 2kg is a lot of fish. -Get there early, all of the locations fill up fast (especially Dawanglu). *** Finding it: The Wangshunge in Dawanglu is very easy to spot. Get off the subway at the southwest corner of the intersection and walk south not more than 200 meters. On the side of a building you'll see the sign for the restaurant. Wangshunge (Dawanglu) is at 88 Jianguo Lu in Soho New Town. They're open daily from 11am to 10pm. 8589 8800.