FOOD IN CHINA

Just because somewhere doesn't have any English menu or decals on the restaurant door/window – don't be scared to try! These places are usually the best, and in most cases, actually have English descriptions in their menu anyway!

Forget the stereotypical cat/dog on the menus – we only saw this once and it was cat ears – this may or may not have a dodgy translation! We have heard this type of food is more of a speciality and you must be in the know to actually go and find these types of restaurants. 

 

Yes you have the typical fried insects etc... but these seem to be more for the tourists. Many of the meals are similar as to what you would get back in Australia in a good Chinese restaurant, there is a lot of tofu, chicken, lamb and pork available. There is a lot more offal offered in restaurants than we have in Australia, and many dishes include chilli.

People in China are some of the most friendliest people we have met on all of our travels, particularly in restaurants, staff go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable, even with the difficult language barrier. If you can try and make a bit of an effort with some Chinese words/phrases – they will appreciate this and try their best with their English.

Meals in China are extremely cheap and very satisfying. Dumplings, noodles, soups, stir fried dishes and rice are very common throughout the country and are very tasty.

 

Below are some of the places we ate at, during our three weeks in China.

 

Beijing

Wanfujing Street Food

(Side street just off Wanfujing (you cant miss it – look for a bustling street lined with red lanterns)

This street is full of a great range of street food.

Of course you have the stereotypical scorpions, spiders and bugs, however there are also some local delicacies that are not so scary....

We tried, Fried ice cream (not cheap at all but amazing!) - 25 Yuan ($5 AUD) and a Mini chicken Kebab - 10 Yuan ($2 AUD) but ate them before we took pictures!! Below are some of the things we remembered to take pictures of!

 

 

 

Beijing yoghurt - 4 Yuan ($0.80 AUD)

 

Freshly cut jackfruit - 10 Yuan ($2 AUD)

Fruit Kebabs (mini apples are called 'chinese Hawthorn') - 10 Yuan ($2AUD) each

 

Roasted chestnuts - 21 Yuan for 500grams ($4.20 AUD)

 

Scorpions and Starfish!

Sijiminfu

(32 Dengshikou Xijie, Dongcheng district)

Sijiminfu is rated very high online and with locals alike for Peking Duck, and rightly so.

We ordered a whole duck with the sides and pancakes and were very impressed with the crispy skin, moist duck and the dish as a whole. The service at this restaurant was also fantastic. We found Sijiminfu to be cheaper than other more famous Peking Duck restaurants such as 'Dadong' with ducks costing between 300 – 400 Yuan ($60-80AUD).  A whole duck here cost 200 Yuan ($40AUD).

In regards to Sijiminfu, most Australians will be familiar with Peking Duck and in the past times that we have tried it – it has come in two courses, with the first course consisting of breast and leg meat and pancakes and the second course – the carcass being scraped and either used for fried noodles or rice. This was not the case at Sijiminfu, with what appeared to be a significant amount of meat still left on the duck which we felt like we might have missed out on. If your Chinese is up to scratch – try your luck at ordering the second course.

In addition to this great dish, we ordered a lovely pork belly and steamed bun dish and braised beef fried rice which were equally lovely.

 

Pancakes - 6 Yuan (1.20AUD)

Side plate of accompaniments - 3 Yuan (0.60AUD)

 

Breakfast Dumpling Place:

(Cannot recall the name, however it is on Beiyehan Street, 200 metres before right turn to Tianamen Square)

This small, local restaurant serves amazing dumplings and a piping hot green tea. We tried Pork and Bamboo shoots, Beef and white radish and Pork and shallot dumplings which were delicious, served with chilli oil, vinegar and soy.  This place is really a hidden gem, with amazingly friendly and patient staff.

 

 

 

Pork and shallot dumplings - 18 Yuan ($3.60) for 12 – 15 dumplings

Hutong Nanluoguxiang

(Guluo East St. to Di'anmen East St)

 

Lined with food stall after food stall, all with something different, this Hutong is a must visit for foodies! 

 

This place is slightly pricy as it is a tourist attraction, however delicious none the less!

 

Chicken bombs (nuggets) – 15 Yuan ($3 AUD)

 

Hot and crispy potato twister – 10 Yuan ($2 AUD)

Bing – 12 Yuan ($2.40 AUD)

Warming lemon ginger tea at 8 Yuan ($1.60 AUD)

Bing! Street seller

(Many around China, but this one was around 300 metres before right turn to Tianamen Square)

At 5 Yuan ($1AUD) each, this was our first taste of a Bing! 

 

Batter spread thinly on a circular hotplate and then sprinkled with corriander, spring onions, chilli paste, hoisin sauce, a beaten egg and a sheet of crunchy bean curd, then folded over twice, then chopped in half and served. Delicious on a cold Beijing morning!

 

 

 

Haidilao:

(8^th floor of the green coloured wave building at the top of Wanfujing Street)

This hot pot restaurant is a highly rated Chinese franchise, which has locations everywhere in China. Do not let the fact that this is a chain restaurant put you off, as it is extremely high quality and very well liked throughout China.

 

We were greeted by a friendly staff member, and asked to wait for around 20 minutes for a table (this place gets busy so get here early). We were served a delicious sweet tea and corn and popcorn snacks while we waited. 

Once our table was ready, we used an ipad to order various hot pot ingredients. We had a double section soup – one mushroom based and one a spicy sichuan. Two varieties of noodles, some greens, prawns, tofu, lamb and beef. There is even a man making fresh noodles at your table – be careful you don't get hit!

Hot pot is definitely a dining experience you need to have in China, and Haidilao is a great place to have this first experience as they are welcoming and it is very clean, hi tech and tasty!

Our meal came to around $17 AUD Per person, including drinks. 

Datong

 

St Martins BBQ Buffet

At 59 Yuan per person ($12 AUD), this place is an absolute bargain and a great dining experience!

Fridges full of raw cuts of meat (lamb, pork, beef, seafood) were spread out through the floor of the restaurant, ready for you to fry on your own tables hot plate.

Vegetables, noodles and spices are nearby, to add to a saucepan to make a delicious soup on your own tables heating element.

Fried rice, pre cooked noodle, meat and seafood dishes, hot chips, desserts and unlimited beer, wine, soft drinks and soft serve ice cream are available at your peril!

 

Pingyao

Big Bowl Noodle

(On your way to North gate, coming from the South, this place is on your right)

This quaint and nicely decorated restaurant is run by one lady who is very friendly and gets the meals out unbelievably quick.

This place was so good – we went twice! 

The soups and eggplant were delicious, however fried dumplings were frozen, then thawed in the microwave and were very stodgy and disappointing.

 

 

Fried Dumplings - 15 Yuan ($3AUD)

 

 

Spicy pork noodle soup - 20 Yuan ($4AUD)

Grilled eggplant - 15 Yuan ($3AUD)

Braised beef and noodle soup - 18 Yuan ($3.60AUD)

Xian

Beiyuanmen Muslim Market

(Beiyuanmen Street, Lianhu District)
     

This brighly lit, vibrant street market is lined with various street food sellers. We thoroughly enjoyed this street and would definitely recommend travellers visit the area for a different cuisine of Chinese food. 

 

We walked down South Street from our hotel to reach the area, however you can get bus number 26 which stops at the end of South Street, and will drop you right off at the bell and drum tower – the market is just around the corner (follow the crowds).

 

Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice – 10 Yuan ($2AUD)

 

A date donut  – 2 Yuan ($0.40AUD)

A sausage skewer – 5 Yuan ($1AUD)

 

Fried meat pancake (pastry filled with raw meat, onions and spice, then fried) – 10 Yuan ($2AUD)

 

Fried, spicy potatoes – 8 Yuan ($1.60AUD)

 



Haidilao

(4th floor of the Ren Ren Le building on GieFang Street)

Once again – we were highly impressed with this restaurant. Super friendly staff and only a five minute wait despite the crowds – we were seated and shown how to order with the ipad.

We chose the spicy sichuan and mushroom broths again, and finished with 'kung fu noodles' where the staff member comes with noodle dough and stretches this into thin strands by throwing and twisting it in the air with both arms.

The meal came to around $18AUD per person, and was a great evening and experience.

 

 Spicy Sichuan broth and Mushroom broth

 

Bamboo shoots, lotus root, tofu, chicken, beef, cabbage and cauliflower

 

'Kung Fu noodles' dough

 

 

'Kung Fu Noodles' performer

Shanghai

 

Dumpling Restaurant

(Level 4 Nanjing Road Food Hall, On your left when you come up the escalators)

We went here for breakfast and were very impressed with the quality and price of these dumplings. 

 

The dumplings were amazingly juicy, and the pork was very tasty.  The rice was an interesting combination, however very nice.

 

8 pork dumplings - 18 Yuan ($3.60AUD)

Beef and Porcini rice - 20 Yuan ($4AUD)

 

Spring Rolls - 10 Yuan ($2AUD)

 

 

Pork, mushroom and vegetable wonton soup - 18 Yuan ($3.60AUD)

Spice Joint

(Level 4 K Wah Centre, 1028 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Donghu Lu, Xuhui district)

We decided to try Spice Joint, based on the great reviews we read online. These reviews were spot on, and we were very impressed with this restaurant.

Very reasonable prices, incredibly tasty food and that amazing Sichuan kick we went for.

 

Make sure you either make a reservation here, or come after 8.30pm to get a table without wait times. We arrived at around 8.45pm and didn't have to wait at all, and got a nice booth to seat four people.

 

Braised pork belly with garlic and shallots – 18 Yuan ($4.60AUD)

 

Braised eggplant 'dancing'  – 20 Yuan ($4AUD)

Sichuan chilli chicken - 36 Yuan ($7.20AUD)

 

 

Cumin lamb chops – 48 Yuan ($9.60AUD)

Fusion Food

(4th Floor, Henderson Metropolitan Buliding, Nanjing East Street)

This nicely decorated and busy restaurant offers many Malaysian dishes that are reasonably priced and tasty.

We ordered from the set lunch menu, each getting a small soup, two samosas, fried potatoes, rice, fruit and one with crispy skin chicken and the other chicken curry. 

 

The meals were traditional and tasted great, however most of the food was either cold or just warm, and the Teh Tarik which was requested to be hot, was only luke warm. 

 

TehTarik – 18 Yuan (3.60AUD)

 

Chicken Curry lunch set - 35 Yuan each ($7AUD) 

 

Sambal Eggs (2 eggs) for 10 Yuan ($2AUD)

 

Crispy Chicken lunch set - 40 Yuan each ($8AUD)

Din Tai Fung

(Level 3, Shanghai World Financial Centre)

Arriving at 11am on a Wednesday, Din Tai Fung only had one couple dining, and the chefs were having their pep talk – we came at the start of lunch service.

We were seated and shown the menus – one drinks menu, one food menu and another set banquet menu.

Two of us chose the set banquet menu for 125 Yuan per person ($25AUD) and the other two had ala carte.

The original pork dumplings were full of the steamy broth and had tender pork inside.  The pork baozi were soft and fluffy, however the pork was slightly tasteless. The sticky rice stuffed with tender pork was an interesting yet pleasant texture and the pork was melt in the mouth.

By the time we were finished (12.00pm) the restaurant was full, and we were very pleased we had got in early.

All up – this is a very well known establishment known for their dumplings which were amazing, however the other dishes on the menu were not so impressive when compared to other establishments around the city.

 

 

Original pork dumplings - 5 for 30 Yuan ($6AUD)

 

Pork and vegetable dumplings - part of banquet 

Pork and shrimp shiumai - part of banquet

 

Pork baozi (steamed bun) – 2 for 30 Yuan ($6AUD)

 

 

Spring rolls - part of banquet

Sticky rice stuffed with tender pork – 1 for 30 Yuan ($6AUD)

 

Gelatinous sweet dumplings in a creamy sweet soup - part of banquet

 

Dreaming Yunnan Gourmet Speciality Restaurant

(Just off Ninghai East Road)

We decided on this place after wandering around our hotel area looking for somewhere to eat on our last night in Shanghai.

We were taken up to the second level and looked through the big menu, full of interesting dishes – a lot including mushrooms local to the Yunnan provence of China.

All dishes were tasty and reasonably priced and tasty, however we initially ordered different menu items, but were told that they were unavailable (a various range of ingredients). The chicken was 'gristle' which is commonly found throughout China and in my opinion – not very nice. The lotus root had an interesting texture, in that fibrous strands are very visible and long with each bite of the dish, however the flavours with it were lovely – and once you got used to the fibres, it was very nice.

Spicy Yellow Tofu – 35 Yuan ($7AUD)

Pork ribs in plum sauce – 42 Yuan ($7.40AUD)

Fried lotus root – 38 Yuan ($7.40AUD)

 

 

Grand Café (Grand Hyatt)

(Level 54, Jin Mao Tower, 88 Century Avenue, Pudong)

At 400 Yuan ($70 AUD) per person, this buffet has views to die for, friendly and approachable staff and a nice atmosphere – however the food was not all that impressive.

Seafood, smoked duck, lamb chops, beef Carpaccio, Asian dishes, salad ingredients and a cheese board were the main savoury items on offer – all of which were nothing special. There were many desserts which were impressive, for example pistachio and raspberry Macarons, mini tiramisus, various cakes, a selection of sorbets and ice creams and a chocolate fountain.

As we are not into seafood – we didn't find this to be worth the money, and would suggest trying one of the other buffets on offer in Shanghai, if a buffet is what your looking for.

Cloud 9 Bar (Grand Hyatt)

(Level 87, Jin Mao Tower, 88 Century Avenue, Pudong)

After having dinner at the Grand Café, we headed up to the Cloud 9 bar and were impressed with the vibe and views from the 87^th floor.

The drinks menu is extensive, and quite pricey – however we were here for a special occasion and were willing to splurge!!

We got an apple and cucumber martini and requested a Caiporoska which wasn’t on the menu. Both were very nice, especially enjoyed with the views of the Oriental Pearl tower and the Bund. Each cocktail was 88 Yuan ($17.60AUD), beers were around 65 Yuan ($13AUD) and soft drinks were 55 Yuan ($11AUD). A 15% service charge is added to these costs also.