Once Upon a Time in the Middle East

Eat well, stay alive.

Drama War
141 min     9.023     2026     China

Overview

Seeking a fresh start, chef Xu Fu travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. Alongside restaurant manager Ma Junsheng, he transforms the struggling Dragon Restaurant into a thriving business. But when war engulfs the city, their hard-won success is shattered and the restaurant becomes a refuge for those caught in the conflict. As danger closes in, Xu Fu must risk everything to protect his newfound community and preserve a small beacon of hope amid the devastation.

Reviews

tomaslisheng wrote:
I went into *Welcome to Dragon Restaurant* expecting another Shen Teng comedy — and walked out with my eyes swollen from crying. It far exceeded every expectation; this is not a comedy at all, but one of the most powerful anti-war films I've ever seen. Director Wen Muye never relies on spectacle or bloodshed to condemn war. Instead, he exposes its cruelty through contrast: a humble Chinese kitchen planted in the middle of a war zone, where a sizzling wok and a bowl of hot rice become the quietest, most devastating protest against violence. Shen Teng, as chef Xu Fu, sheds his comic persona and delivers a heartbreaking performance — every shared meal becomes a small act of resistance, a stubborn insistence that life, dignity, and peace still matter amid the ruins. Bring tissues — a lot of them if you are going to watch it

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