This restaurant looks a bit like a guest house from the outside – just a small wooden entryway. A decorative pastry case is the only evidence that the narrow staircase in the back leads to an eatery. For most of the day, a lady stands outside to welcome guests; she will help you if you're not sure you've got the right place. Upstairs, Ci Sheng is a simple, unfussy restaurant decorated with Buddha statues.
Dishes on the large menu range in price from 8 to 46 RMB, and includes soups, mock meats, all sorts of veggies and a few dishes traditional Chinese sides such as cucumber and lotus root. Highlights include the Cisheng Healthy Soup, the “fish” made from mashed taro, and the Treasure of Mother Earth with sweet taro and yam. The mock meats are convincing in texture, but less so in flavor (aside from the tasty dipping sauces), and are quite greasy. Staff members recommend the Sweet and Sour Pork as one of the best; it’s made from walnut, a method uncommon in other restaurants. They also suggest the Ci Sheng Shang Su, made from mushrooms, tofu, bamboo and nuts.