The only way to appreciate Chinese food is to forget about Western textures, flavours and food logic altogether.

At least, this is what I do.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to cook my own meals in China. First, there’s about one supermarket for 10,000 eateries, so millions of Chinese only press “start” on the microwave when they feel hungry. There’s also the small detail that Chinese food requires many ingredients, big fire and great knives. Basic noodle bowl? Sure, I could have managed that. Steamed dumplings? Forget about it.

So like many Chinese, we went “fuck it” and eat out instead.

I went to McDonald’s out of desperation a few times when I was new to China in the 1990s. I was craving somewhat familiar food, ingredients I could recognize and a very basic flavour profile. Frankly, I just didn’t know what to eat.

Now I do.

My typical meal is noodles, a few steamed buns and some pastry.

Steamed buns—bāozi (包子)

Let’s start with bāozi (包子), these ubiquitous steamed buns filled with pretty much any veggie or meat you’ll find in China—jiǔcài (Chinese chives) and eggs, eggplants, carrots, turnips, meat and cabbage, meat and celery… the list is long!

These snacks are typically eaten at breakfast so they can sell out fast. Look for the giant bamboo steamer baskets in the street and ask what’s available.

Bāozi are pretty cheap, about $0.50 each. It can be a great option for vegetarians!

Bāozi (包子) in Chaoyang, Beijing
Bāozi (包子) in Chaoyang, Beijing
My favourite baozi place at Dawanglu, Beijing
My favourite baozi place at Dawanglu, Beijing
Bāozi (包子) in Beijing
Bāozi (包子) in Beijing
Bāozi (包子) in Sujiatun
Bāozi (包子) in Sujiatun
Bāozi (包子) in Sujiatun
Bāozi (包子) in Sujiatun

Tea eggs – Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋)

Boiled eggs are an exciting snack in China because they aren’t your boring boiled egg, they are flavoured. Eggs are boiled a first time, then cracked slightly and boiled a second time in a savoury marinade (typically, tea and soy sauce). The result is a delicious marbled egg.

Tea eggs are sold everywhere, in the street or convenience stores.

Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Shenyang
Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Shenyang
Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Beijing
Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Beijing
Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Shenyang
Cháyèdàn (茶葉蛋) in Shenyang

Noodles – Miàn (面)

I take noodles over rice anytime, and I’m never eating the same meal because there are tons of different noodle specialties all over China.

Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) are a classic in Beijing. It looks like Bolognese but it doesn’t taste like it at all since the meat is cooked in a fermented soybean-based sauce. These thick wheat noodles are typically topped with cucumber, peanuts, and carrots, and you’re supposed to mix everything together.

Meanwhile, Xi’an is obsessed with biángbiáng miàn, also called yóupo miàn (油泼面). The 42-stroke “Biáng” character is the most complicated Chinese character and it has just been encoded in Unicode (but it still doesn’t show up on most computers, including mine). “Biang” is actually an onomatopoeia—it’s the sound of the dough being stretched and then slapped on the table to make these thick, belt-like noodles. Hot oil is poured over them, hence the other name, yóupo miàn. These noodles are often topped with meat, tomato and egg.

Other favourites include the tomato and egg noodles, sesame and chicken noodles, and the deliciously spicy málà noodles.

A bowl of noodles is 10–30 Yuan, so $1.5-4.5.

"Mian" (noodle) character in Xi'an
“Miàn” (noodle) character in Xi’an
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) in Beijing
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) in Beijing
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) order in Xi'an
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) order in Xi’an
Yóupo miàn (油泼面) in Beijing
Yóupo miàn (油泼面) in Beijing
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) order in Beijing
Zhájiàng miàn (炸酱面) order in Beijing
Noodles in Beijing
Noodles in Beijing
Biángbiáng miàn mural in Xi'an
Biángbiáng miàn mural in Xi’an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi'an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi’an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi'an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi’an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi'an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi’an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi'an
Biángbiáng miàn in Xi’an
Jiǔcài bing (韭菜饼), scallion pancake, Shenyang
Jiǔcài bing (韭菜饼), scallion pancake, Shenyang

And for dessert…

My favourite Chinese dessert is the humble egg tart, just like the Brazilian “pastel de Belém”—thank you, Portugal and Macau for this one!

I must admit I go to Paris Baguette for dessert, they make really good croissants and pains aux raisins

Hacking a latte in Xi'an
Hacking a latte in Xi’an
Very addictive cakes sold everywhere in Shenyang
Very addictive cakes sold everywhere in Shenyang
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Sujiatun
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Sujiatun
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Sujiatun
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Sujiatun
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Shenyang
Dàntǎ, (蛋撻), egg tarts in Shenyang

Visited 125 times, 1 visit(s) today

5 Comments

  1. Isa August 13, 2024 at 3:28 pm

    I want to eat… Everything?!?

    Reply
    1. Zhu August 13, 2024 at 6:43 pm

      Please do so. The Chinese will very much encourage you to eat. EAT MORE, I SAID! 😆

      Reply
  2. Christiane August 26, 2024 at 4:21 pm

    Steam buns and egg tarts are my fav!

    Reply
    1. Zhu August 26, 2024 at 8:49 pm

      Stock up at T&T in Ottawa when we finally meet again 😉

      Reply
      1. Christiane September 3, 2024 at 9:48 am

        Yes! 🙂

        Reply

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *