Head to Buford Highway for this chargrilled meat on a stick

Spicy, crispy, chargrilled meat served on a stick is a roadside favorite in northern China. How lucky we are in Atlanta, to have establishments that make pushcart street food readily available. Any time you get a hankering, Buford Highway’s Bei Jing Kabobs serves a range of spiced and skewered meats and vegetables.

Start with the quintessential North China favorite, yangrou chuan, or lamb kabab. A dry rub that includes cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper is used, then lamb pieces are put onto wooden skewers, and get fired over blazing charcoal. The crisply charred meat is tender, with a kick of spice. There are various heat levels to tick off from the easy pencil-and-pad ordering. Find the addictive kebabs under “charcoal bake string class” on the menu. The Chinese character for kabob, or chuan, essentially looks like skewered food — 串.

At $2 a pop (cheaper for vegetables), skewers here provide an opportunity to explore, and a fun way to share a meal.