In the golden autumn of Xuejian, a village on the outskirts of Shanghai, the smell of roasting meat mingles with the aroma of oak, lychee and applewood charcoal. The signature dish — a dry-aged M9+ "stone axe" cut of purebred beef — arrives at the table with a crisp crust, beneath which pink juices seep and the fat melts without leaving heaviness in the mouth. Each piece carries the smoke of fruitwood and a deep meaty flavor that cannot be mistaken for gas or electric grilling.
The village is surrounded by forest, and it was precisely this closeness to nature that determined the choice of location. The owner, Awei, a beef supplier with more than ten years of experience, noticed that other establishments in Xuejian were already drawing visitors, and decided to open his own project here. Australian beef and a small share of Heilongjiang beef of grade M5 and above, part of which undergoes dry aging, goes onto the grill right here — surrounded by trees, where the air is cleaner and drier than in the heart of the metropolis.
Awei selects the firewood himself and keeps an eye on the temperature. He explains that lychee and applewood give a sweetish smoke, while oak gives a denser and more lasting aroma. Guests note that meat grilled this way retains its juiciness longer and does not overpower the beef's own flavor. Besides steaks, the menu features local products: pumpkin from neighboring farmers, grey wood-rotting bracket mushrooms, which in texture resemble meat, and even bread with a pink fermented tofu-cream paste inspired by Shanghai.
A special detail is an upcoming series of matches with messages: a guest can write down a bad mood, light it and drop it into a special vessel at the table. This is not merely a souvenir but a way to pass on the warmth and relaxation that the owner wants to give every visitor who comes as a friend.
The project fits into the village revitalization program: here a traditional charcoal grill is combined with a modern approach to the product and service. Prices start at 58 yuan, with an average bill of 200–700 yuan, which allows both a simple taste and a full dinner. Already in the first days after opening, many guests are returning for a second visit.
To try the real dish, it is worth coming on a weekday or early in the evening, when the open terrace is still light and a meal can be combined with a walk through the forest. Awei plans to hold master classes on choosing and preparing steaks, but for now the main thing is that every guest leaves full and satisfied.
In Xuejian, the charcoal grill has become not just a way of cooking but a way of returning to the village the living fire and human contact that are hard to find in city restaurants.
