| Goubuli 狗不理 (gǒu bù lǐ) was founded in 1858 in Tianjin. It serves baozi 包子 (bāozi), a large steamed dumpling. The Goubuli baozi are so good that when a friend and I went to Tianjin, the only thing she wanted to do was eat at Goubuli. The original shop in Tianjin is not as fancy as this one, but the baozi are better - at least according to my friend. In Tianjin they serve a hot sauce that is not available in the Beijing restaurant. While I found the baozi in Beijing quite good, they were not as good without the special hot sauce. In Beijing they serve the traditional oil-based sauce with hot red peppers, rather than a true sauce.
Goubuli was founded by Gao Gui 高贵 (Gāo Guì), a resident of Tianjin. The name of the restaurant is a bit of a mystery. It translates as "Dog doesn't Care" or "Dog doesn't Manage." One explanation is that as Gao Gui became more and more successful, he had no time to sit and chat with the customers anymore. They felt neglected, so nicknamed the restaurant and it became so common that Gao Gui adopted it. Another explanation is that the name is based on a joke from his childhood and he used it to bring good luck to his business. No one knows for sure. The name was certainly successful.
The name got another twist from foreign tourists who have trouble with Chinese. Some wag used the mnemonic "Go Believe" to remember the name and you will sometimes see it in translations. Perhaps it will help you remember Goubuli.
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