Eating | Sleeping | Getting around | Top things to do
Eating in China is not always easy. Aside from the language barrier, and lack of English speaking staff and menus at many restaurants–particularly those outside of tourist hot spots–the food isn't always... well, palatable. Gristle and bones dominate meat dishes, and crisp, raw vegetables are virtually non-existent. Never mind the soups with innards; chicken heads that serve as garnishes; and the constant feeling that you have no idea what you're eating. For all of this, come to China with an open mind about food, and (of course) with one of our books–with the menus provided, you'll always be able to order something you actually want to eat (and can recognize).
If you're traveling as a single or couple, keep in mind that in China, eating is a communal activity. You'll notice that most of your companions in restaurants are large tables filled with entire families, and for this reason, the servings are huge as they are meant to feed the entire table–order 1 or 2 dishes only for a small group and expect to have leftovers.
We love the community aspect of eating in China–and if you can manage to get yourself invited to a meal with a Chinese family or group of friends, go for it! Joining in the evening meal is a great way to experience the culture, and be prepared to drink some baijou (Chinese liquor) with your hosts long after the meal has been eaten.
Breakfast
The easiest breakfast to find in China is rice porridge, but in hotels that cater to a Western clientele, and in tourist hot spots such as Yangshuo and Lijiang, it's possible to find Western breakfast fare like eggs and pancakes. A few breakfast treats we like that can be purchased on the street include fried bread and steamed buns filled with pork or vegetables.
If you're a coffee addict, like I am in the morning, you should be prepared for disappointment: it's either impossible to find, of poor quality, or Nescafe. However, in cities like Beijing and Hong Kong, it's possible to find a Starbucks; coffee has been slowly making its way into this culture of adamant tea drinkers.
Lunch and dinner
There really is no difference between what's eaten for lunch and dinner, and the Chinese people don't eat appetizers or dessert like those of us in the West. It's possible to find sweet shops and bakeries on the streets of any city, but the baked goods aren't all that sugary. Oddly enough, bread in China has a sweet, but odd, taste.
If you tire of Chinese food and find yourself wishing for a Western-style lunch or dinner, touristy towns like Yangshuo and Lijiang have plenty of cheap options, easily accessible in a concentrated area. In larger cities you may have to search a little harder, travel farther, and perhaps pay a bit more money to get that pizza–look around in the advertising section of free expat magazines for Western-style restaurant locations; we found a pretty decent TexMex joint in Chengdu this way. KFC is a popular chain in China, so when all else fails, you can always find fried chicken pretty easily.
Our favorite things to eat
1. Peking duck– get it in Beijing
2. Dumplings–get them in Beijing
3. Sichuan hot pot– get it in Chengdu
4. Dim sum–get it in Hong Kong
5. Sauteed string beans–found everywhere |
