The Salar people — a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority who have lived in the Xunhua area of Qinghai for centuries — have a distinct culinary tradition that is slightly different from mainstream Hui Muslim cooking. Salar restaurants in Xining, found scattered through the Muslim quarter, serve Salar-style lamb dishes with a heavier use of dried chilli and a different balance of spices than the Hui norm.
The signature dish is Salar-style braised lamb shoulder (served on the bone) with flatbread and a broth that can be used for dipping. Most Salar restaurants are small family operations without English menus; pointing at what neighbouring tables are eating works well. Prices are low — a full meal for two costs around 60 yuan. Look for the Salar script (related to Uyghur) on signs as an identifier.