EATING IN CHINA

If you like to eat then China is the place to be. The selection of Chinese food can take years to sample and there are plenty of western food restaurants with more popping up all the time. Where do you start? Here are a few suggestions. 

Beijing Duck is a must for any visitor to China. Half a duck with hoisin sauce and silver fungus all rolled up in a little round piece of bread is enough for two people and generally costs about 80 RMB. Health conscious connoisseurs beware, as the meat is quite fatty.

Sichuan style cuisine is a favourite of many foreigners. Hot and spicy with loads of red chillies and Sichuan peppercorn, garlic onions and other flavours these dishes are sure to keep you going through the cool winters of Shanghai

Hot pots are another meal great for surviving the cold. Take large varieties of meat, vegetables, dofu (tofu) and other unique foods and drop it into a boiling pot and wait till it's done.

Xinjiang food is something one should not miss. Generally Muslim style with a Chinese touch, the bread is fantastic.

Where do you eat when you are in an unfamiliar area? When in China, do as the Chinese do, eat where they eat--just look for a crowded restaurant--and you will usually be rewarded with some of the best food and the cheapest prices around.

Almost everywhere in Shanghai you can see small stalls with white dough flying through the air into a boiling pot. Called Dao Xiao Mian, not only is it interesting to watch how they make it, these noodles are a great way to satisfy anyone's hunger. You will get a bowl of shaved noodles including soup, meat and sometimes vegetables on top. No need to worry about the surroundings, decor or much else, find a place full of locals and it will be safe to eat. A variant of this is La Mian, a type of noodle that is stretched and pulled by the chef and then tossed in the pot. Each is great for a quick, cheap meal.

If you opt for a restaurant then there are many dishes that are easy to say and are no problem to eat. Unless you are brave, blindly picking from the menu might not be a good idea--some foreigners accidentally choose the delicacy known as Ti Ger, or "cow's hoof tendon" in English. For some reason they didn't finish; this was to the delight of the next table that happily traded Ti Ger for one of their dishes. 

Dumplings are called Jiaozi. This comes with many different fillings, which can include meat, vegetables and seafood. A half a kilo plate is enough for a meal and is a great deal. Check out the Daqing Dumpling House.  Gong Bao Ji Ding is a spicy chicken dish with peanuts and other vegetables. For some reason this dish is never the same from one restaurant to another. Perhaps this adds to its appeal, as it is very popular with foreigners.

To Doe Zi is for potato lovers. Shredded potato stir-fried with some green peppers, this dish comes hot or cold.
Great vegetable dishes include boa cai, spinach either hot or cold and sometimes mixed with mustard. You cai is a long green vegetable that usually comes with shanggu moogu, which are mushrooms. Doe miao is small thin green sprout type of vegetable, quite good. Eggplant, called chedzi in Chinese goes well with many dishes.

Mei fan, plain rice or chao fan, stir fried rice tops off most meals in China.

A great way to decide what to eat is to check out what the other patrons are eating. Don't be shy as this not a problem for most foreigners and the people will usually be delighted if you take an interest in what they are eating.