Classic Food Reviews of Popular Tourist Cities in China

Beijing: A Carb-Fueled Feast Beneath the Imperial City Walls

1. Peking Duck

• Ingredients: Force-fed duck, fruitwood, maltose, lotus leaf pancakes, sweet bean sauce
• Preparation: Roasted in a fruitwood-fired oven for 1 hour until the skin is crisp like a cracker and the meat tender and juicy.
• Characteristics: The aroma of fruitwood blends beautifully with rich meatiness; served with sweet bean sauce and scallion shreds—a crowning glory of Chinese banquet cuisine.

1. Old Beijing Zhajiangmian (Noodles with Soybean Paste)

• Ingredients: Liubiju dried yellow soybean paste, diced pork belly, hand-pulled noodles, seasonal vegetable toppings
• Preparation: Diced pork belly slowly simmered with yellow soybean paste over low heat; cooled noodles tossed thoroughly with the sauce.
• Characteristics: Richly savory sauce paired with seasonal vegetables, embodying the culinary wisdom of “eating according to the season.”

1. Luzhu Huoshao (Stewed Offal with Flatbread)

• Ingredients: Pig intestines, pig lungs, fried tofu, baked flatbread, aged broth
• Preparation: Offal stewed for hours, then cooked together with flatbread; finished with a drizzle of chili oil.
• Characteristics: Plump intestines, tender lungs, and deeply flavorful broth—this hearty dish is the ultimate breakfast in southern Beijing’s hutongs.

Shanghai: Refined Comfort in Rich Sauces

1. Shengjian Bao (Pan-Fried Pork Buns)

• Ingredients: All-purpose flour, pork shoulder, aspic, white sesame seeds
• Preparation: Pleated side down, pan-fried until golden, then steamed with water and topped with chopped scallions.
• Characteristics: Crispy base, fluffy top, bursting with hot, savory-sweet soup when bitten into.

1. Nanxiang Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings)

• Ingredients: Pork shoulder, pork aspic, optional crab roe
• Preparation: Hand-folded with precisely 16 pleats, steamed over high heat for 7 minutes—sip the soup first, then enjoy the meat.
• Characteristics: Paper-thin, semi-transparent wrappers; an intangible cultural heritage technique passed down through generations at century-old establishments near the City God Temple.

1. Shanghai-Style Braised Pork Belly

• Ingredients: Skin-on pork belly, rock sugar, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine
• Preparation: Simmered for 1.5 hours until fall-apart tender, achieving a perfect balance of sweet and savory.
• Characteristics: The quintessential “red-braised” dish—rich, glossy, unctuous yet not greasy; served with rice, it’s the ultimate carb bomb.

Nanjing: A Millennium Legacy of Duck Delicacies

1. Saltwater Duck

• Ingredients: Chaohu speckled duck, coarse salt, spices
• Preparation: Cured and gently poached until the skin turns white and the meat stays tender, infused with subtle aromatic notes.
• Characteristics: The soul of Nanjing cuisine—“no banquet is complete without duck”—even better paired with duck blood and vermicelli soup.

1. Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup

• Ingredients: Duck blood, duck liver, duck intestines, duck broth, vermicelli
• Preparation: Duck broth simmered for hours; blanched offal and vermicelli cooked together in the broth.
• Characteristics: Clear, flavorful broth; silky-smooth duck blood like pudding; crisp-tender duck offal.

1. Osmanthus Sweet Taro Dessert

• Ingredients: Taro, brown sugar, lotus root starch, osmanthus syrup
• Preparation: Taro cooked until soft, thickened with starch, and finished with fragrant osmanthus.
• Characteristics: Amber-hued syrup, soft and sweet taro—this beloved dessert reigns supreme among sweet treats at Confucius Temple.

Guangzhou: The Elegant Code of Dim Sum Culture

1. Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)

• Ingredients: Wheat starch, fresh shrimp, pork fatback, diced bamboo shoots
• Preparation: Wrappers paper-thin like cicada wings; steamed over high heat for 5 minutes with exactly 12 pleats.
• Characteristics: Translucent and glistening; plump, bouncy shrimp enhanced by rich pork fat—ranked #1 among the “Four Heavenly Kings” of dim sum.

1. Char Siu Bao (Barbecue Pork Buns)

• Ingredients: High-gluten flour, char siu (barbecued pork), oyster sauce, sugar
• Preparation: Leavened dough wrapped around diced char siu; steamed until the top naturally cracks open.
• Characteristics: Fluffy exterior with a perfectly balanced sweet-savory filling that’s juicy and tender.

1. Wonton Noodles

• Ingredients: Bamboo-pole noodles, shrimp wontons, dried flounder and pork bone broth
• Preparation: Broth simmered for hours; springy noodles and thin-skinned, generously filled wontons.
• Characteristics: Clean, sweet broth elevated by chives; the essence of time-honored Xiguan-style noodle shops.

Chongqing: Spicy Legends from the Mountain City

1. Mao Xue Wang (Spicy Duck Blood Hotpot)

• Ingredients: Duck blood, beef aorta, pig intestines, luncheon meat, bean sprouts
• Preparation: Fermented broad bean paste stir-fried until fragrant, then ingredients added and simmered; finished with a sizzling pour of hot oil.
• Characteristics: Boldly spicy, numbing, and aromatic—silky duck blood, crunchy aorta—a definitive example of Chongqing’s bold “jianghu” (rivers-and-lakes) cuisine.

1. Sour and Spicy Sweet Potato Noodles

• Ingredients: Sweet potato vermicelli, preserved mustard greens, pickled mustard tuber, chili oil
• Preparation: Cooked vermicelli seasoned with vinegar, Sichuan pepper oil, and topped with crushed peanuts.
• Characteristics: Refreshingly sour and spicy; smooth, slippery noodles—the quintessential street snack near Jiefangbei.

1. Chongqing Hotpot

• Ingredients: Beef tallow base, tripe, aorta, duck intestines
• Preparation: Nine-compartment pot separates ingredients; tripe swished “seven times up, eight times down” for perfect texture.
• Characteristics: Intensely numbing and spicy, with deep beef tallow fragrance—the ultimate social ritual.

Chengdu: A Spicy Culinary World on the Tongue

1. Fuqi Feipian (Sliced Beef Offal in Chili Oil)

• Ingredients: Beef shank, beef tongue, beef tripe, chili oil
• Preparation: Beef braised, thinly sliced, and tossed in aromatic chili oil sauce.
• Characteristics: Despite its name (“husband-and-wife lung slices”), it contains no lung—spicy with a hint of sweetness, perfect for pairing with alcohol or rice.

1. Zhong Dumplings

• Ingredients: Pork filling, chili oil, replicated soy sauce
• Preparation: Boiled dumplings dressed with chili oil, garlic paste, and sugar to create a complex dipping sauce.
• Characteristics: Thin wrappers, tender filling—spicy with a touch of sweetness; even better paired with crispy guokui (baked flatbread).

1. Chuan Chuan Xiang (Skewered Hotpot)

• Ingredients: Beef, tripe, lotus root slices, secret chili oil base
• Preparation: Ingredients skewered, briefly boiled, priced by stick count; served with dry or oily dipping sauces.
• Characteristics: Spicy, numbing, aromatic, and versatile—the soulmate of Chengdu’s late-night dining scene.

Wuhan: A Carb-Laden Celebration of “Guozao” (Breakfast Culture)

1. Re Gan Mian (Hot Dry Noodles)

• Ingredients: Alkaline noodles, sesame paste, sesame oil, pickled radish
• Preparation: Noodles rinsed in cold water, then quickly tossed with rich sesame paste.
• Characteristics: Chewy and springy, coated in fragrant sesame paste—the cornerstone of Wuhan’s legendary breakfast tradition.

1. Sanxian Doupi (Three-Treasure Bean Curd Skin Rolls)

• Ingredients: Glutinous rice, diced pork, shrimp, eggs, mung bean batter
• Preparation: Mung bean crepe spread with glutinous rice, flipped and pan-fried, then cut into squares.
• Characteristics: Crispy outside, sticky inside, filled with savory treasures—the ultimate breakfast indulgence.

1. Hu Tang Fen (Thick Fish Soup with Rice Noodles)

• Ingredients: Thin rice noodles, fresh fish, fish bones, white pepper, youtiao (fried dough sticks)
• Preparation: Fish bones simmered into a thick, creamy broth; noodles blanched and topped with flaked fish meat.
• Characteristics: Velvety, porridge-like soup with tender fish; best enjoyed with crispy youtiao.

Hangzhou: Poetic Delicacies by West Lake

1. West Lake Vinegar Fish

• Ingredients: Grass carp, sugar, white vinegar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce
• Preparation: Fish poached until tender, then dressed with a delicate sweet-and-sour sauce that melts in the mouth.
• Characteristics: Subtle acidity balanced with just-right sweetness—a refined signature of Hangzhou cuisine.

1. Dongpo Pork

• Ingredients: Skin-on pork belly, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar, soy sauce
• Preparation: Braised for 2 hours, then steamed for 1 hour until meltingly tender.
• Characteristics: Glossy red hue, unctuous yet not greasy, savory with a hint of sweetness—a recipe passed down since the Song Dynasty.

1. Beggar’s Chicken

• Ingredients: Free-range chicken, lotus leaves, clay, spices
• Preparation: Marinated chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, sealed in clay, and roasted until done; cracking open releases an intoxicating lotus fragrance.
• Characteristics: Juicy, tender meat infused with herbal notes—best enjoyed with Longjing tea for an elegant pairing.

Suzhou: Exquisite Bites from the Gardens

1. Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish

• Ingredients: Mandarin fish, tomato sauce, sugar, white vinegar, pine nuts
• Preparation: Fish scored, deep-fried until golden, then glazed with sweet-and-sour sauce.
• Characteristics: Resembles a squirrel in shape; crispy outside, tender inside—classic Suzhou cuisine that’s sweet-and-sour without being cloying.

1. Suzhou-Style Noodle Soup

• Ingredients: Fine noodles, clear broth (pork and eel bones), braised pork, crispy eel shreds
• Preparation: Noodles cooked al dente; clear, aromatic broth served with abundant toppings.
• Characteristics: Emphasizes “plenty of broth, modest noodles”; melt-in-your-mouth braised pork and crisp, sweet eel shreds.

1. Crab Roe Soup Dumplings

• Ingredients: Crab roe from female crabs, pork aspic, all-purpose flour
• Preparation: Filling combines crab roe and aspic; steamed for 5 minutes—sip the soup first.
• Characteristics: Thin wrapper, generous filling, sweet and savory broth—best enjoyed with ginger threads and vinegar to cut richness.

Guilin: Sour-Spicy Temptations Amidst Mountains and Rivers

1. Guilin Rice Noodles

• Ingredients: Indica rice, master stock, crispy pork, pickled bamboo shoots, fried soybeans
• Preparation: Blanched noodles topped with master stock and condiments, creating a harmonious blend of sour, salty, and savory flavors.
• Characteristics: Springy and chewy noodles in intensely aromatic broth—a dish steeped in 2,000 years of history.

1. Yangshuo Beer Fish

• Ingredients: Lijiang carp, beer, tomatoes, chilies
• Preparation: Fish pan-fried with scales intact until golden, then braised in beer—the crispy scales are edible.
• Characteristics: Appetizingly sour and spicy; the malty notes of beer complement the fish’s natural sweetness.

1. Lipu Taro Braised Pork

• Ingredients: Pork belly, Lipu taro, fermented tofu, red fermented bean curd
• Preparation: Alternating layers of pork and taro steamed until the meat is unctuous and the taro soft and sweet.
• Characteristics: Savory with a hint of spice—a must-have centerpiece dish for Guilin’s Lunar New Year feasts.

Xi’an: The Carb Empire of a 13-Dynasty Capital

1. Lazhi Roujiamo (Braised Pork Belly Sandwich)

• Ingredients: Baiji mo (flatbread), pork belly, spices, rock sugar
• Preparation: Pork belly braised for 4 hours, stuffed into freshly baked mo so the aroma permeates the bread.
• Characteristics: Crisp crust, soft interior, rich but not greasy—a paradise for carb lovers.

1. Yangrou Paomo (Lamb Stew with Crumbled Flatbread)

• Ingredients: Lamb broth, tuo tuo mo (dense flatbread), vermicelli, pickled garlic
• Preparation: Mo torn into pea-sized pieces, simmered in broth until flavorful, served with lamb slices and cilantro.
• Characteristics: Rich broth, tender lamb; three traditional ways to eat it (dry, soupy, or broth-heavy)—a cultural microcosm.

1. Liangpi (Cold Skin Noodles)

• Ingredients: Rice noodles, gluten, bean sprouts, chili oil
• Preparation: Rice batter steamed into sheets, cut into strips, tossed with vinegar, garlic water, and chili oil.
• Characteristics: Smooth, chewy, refreshingly sour and spicy—the ultimate summer comfort food.

Lhasa: Unique Flavors of the Snow-Capped Plateau

1. Tibetan Noodles

• Ingredients: Highland barley flour, yak meat, beef bones, edible alkali
• Preparation: Noodles blanched, rinsed in cold water, then served in yak meat broth with diced meat.
• Characteristics: Chewy texture with natural highland barley aroma—best enjoyed with spicy sauce to warm the stomach.

1. Butter Tea

• Ingredients: Yak butter, brick tea, salt
• Preparation: Strong tea blended with butter and salt, then heated and stirred until emulsified.
• Characteristics: Salty and rich; helps alleviate altitude sickness—an essential daily drink for Tibetans.

1. Tsampa

• Ingredients: Roasted highland barley flour, yak butter, dried cheese curds, sugar
• Preparation: Kneaded into balls, eaten with butter tea or sweet milk tea.
• Characteristics: Traditional staple food of the plateau—highly filling; its unique flavor requires some getting used to.

Urumqi: A Meat Lover’s Feast with Central Asian Flair

1. Pilaf (Hand-Grab Rice)

• Ingredients: Lamb, rice, carrots, onions, cumin
• Preparation: Lamb browned, then rice steamed in the same pot until glossy and infused with meaty aroma.
• Characteristics: Tender, non-gamey lamb; sweet carrots; subtly fragrant cumin.

1. Roasted Baozi (Lamb-Stuffed Baked Buns)

• Ingredients: Diced lamb, tail fat, onions, cumin
• Preparation: Filled dough pressed against the walls of a tandoor oven until golden—crisp outside, juicy inside.
• Characteristics: Perfect fat-to-lean ratio; aromatic tail fat harmonizes with the sweetness of onions.

1. Da Pan Ji (Big Plate Chicken)

• Ingredients: Free-range chicken, potatoes, green peppers, red peppers, dried chilies
• Preparation: Chicken pan-seared until golden, then stewed until the sauce thickens—perfect for tossing with wide noodles.
• Characteristics: Spicy, numbing, savory, and aromatic; melt-in-your-mouth potatoes—this dish is a must-order for group meals.

Changsha: Fiery Heat Meets Sweet Delight in the Star City

1. Stinky Tofu

• Ingredients: Fermented tofu cubes, chopped chili sauce, minced garlic, light soy sauce
• Preparation: Deep-fried until crisp outside and tender inside, drizzled with tangy-spicy sauce, garnished with scallions and cilantro.
• Characteristics: Pungent aroma, delicious taste—crispy shell soaked in flavorful sauce; the iconic street snack of Changsha.

1. Tang You Baba (Sweet Fried Glutinous Rice Balls)

• Ingredients: Glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, rapeseed oil
• Preparation: Fried until golden, coated in molten sugar—crisp outside, chewy inside, sweet but not cloying.
• Characteristics: A sugary street-side indulgence; best eaten fresh off the stove with icy bingfen (agar jelly) to balance the sweetness.

1. Duo Jiao Yu Tou (Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili)

• Ingredients: Bighead carp head, chopped chili, premium steamed fish soy sauce
• Preparation: Fish head topped with chopped chili, steamed for 10 minutes, then finished with hot oil.
• Characteristics: Tender fish infused with tangy-spicy chili; absolutely divine when mixed with plain noodles.

Hefei: Rustic Flavors from the Jianghuai Plains

1. Wushan Tribute Goose

• Ingredients: Anhui white goose, Chinese herbs, soy sauce, rock sugar
• Preparation: Simmered gently in master stock for 1.5 hours until firm yet tender.
• Characteristics: Deeply aromatic, rich but not greasy, with a lingering aftertaste.

1. Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch

• Ingredients: Sea cucumber, fish maw, squid, ham, chicken broth
• Preparation: Assorted delicacies stewed until meltingly soft in a thick, flavorful broth.
• Characteristics: Rich, savory, and complex—a signature banquet soup of Hefei, enhanced by historical lore.

1. Cao Cao Chicken

• Ingredients: Free-range chicken, soy sauce, rock sugar, star anise, cassia bark
• Preparation: Braised in master stock, then deep-fried for a crisp skin and succulent meat.
• Characteristics: Perfect balance of sweet and savory; named after Cao Cao’s fondness for it—a culinary relic of Three Kingdoms culture.