If there’s anything I miss almost as much as my Chinese friends, it’s the amazing food of their country. And if it wasn’t for my friends, for our guides and organisers, I wouldn’t have known which restaurants to choose and what dishes to order. So, I have to give them total credit for introducing me and my colleagues to the richness of their culture.
Eye-opening Nanjing
Nanjing was the city which introduced me to a Chinese cuisine. I was lucky to have friends there (my two students and their family) who treated me to a delicious and eye-opening dinner. Buckwheat tea, three kinds of dumplings, amazing noodles, eggplant with cabbage, tofu with vegetables, etc.
Then my other friend took me to a different restaurant and we had Nanjing duck, carrot pancakes, sweet porridge, a bit gooey but tasty dessert, and a few other dishes.
It’s incredible when you can find somebody you trust to order the best Chinese dishes for you. When dining on my own, in most cases, I was looking for familiar brands. It was whether Starbucks, Burger King or Subway. One time I found a British bakery and had nice brunch there. However, when you’re in China, try to find ways to eat authentic Chinese food as much as possible!
Spicy Wuhan or Obsession with Shrimp
The next destination was Wuhan which is considered one of the Top 10 spiciest cities in China. The leaders of the project I was working with organised all our meals, and they were incredible! My favourite dish there was shrimp and crawfish in the variety of sauces and with different veggies.
If you order the plate of crawfish, disposable gloves will be brought for you to keep your hands clean. The sauce has garlic and special seasoning in it which makes the dish even more delectable and mouthwatering.
The second-place winner in Wuhan was spicy cauliflower with chilli peppers. It was love at first sight (or taste) for me as well as for the Australian family I worked with there.
We were also treated to different kinds of dumplings, to Wuhan specialty – dry noodles, various soups and even tried a stew with frogs!!! What an unforgettable experience!
Diverse Beijing
Delicious Liuyang
Sweet Hangzhou
After the meal we went around the museum to learn about Chinese and specifically Hangzhou food. It was partially a historical museum about Zhejiang province and the city of Hangzhou. Some of the statues there were so realistic that I mistook them for alive people. 😃
So, after raving so much about the lusciousness of food in China, I have to say that, of course, there were dishes which I didn’t like. However, altogether the diversity of flavors, the variety of colors and the richness of tastes made my experience unique.
Next time I will share my thoughts on Chinese tea and suggest a few interesting destinations for you. And for now, please share your own impressions of Chinese food in the comments below. What dishes do you like the most? Also, don’t forget to share this post with those you know! See you soon!
