Z and I have calculated that we have dined out for at least 50 meals since we arrived in Beijing. We are not big fans of breakfast, which is why we have not calculated exactly three meals per day in our estimate. That's a lot of meals out and about town, but usually for not a lot of mula. The most expensive meal we have had thus far cost around $15 for both of us. And we're not just eating rice and noodles, friends. Do city people in the U.S. do this every day? It must cost a fortune, I can't imagine! When I remember to, I snap a picture here and there of our meals, and I scribble down notes in my little black notebook about the meal I am about to consume.
What is nice about being a Westerner in Beijing, is that no matter what, I will never really "fit in." So I go ahead, pull out my whopper of a camera whenever I like, and snap away without feeling the self consciousness of a tourist. Even Z plays along, map and guidebook in hand, navigating our way through whichever hutong into which we happen to wonder or into this noodle house or that dumpling spot. There are so many places from which to choose, that in our neighborhood alone, we've only been to two or three restaurants more than twice.
No big surprise, but Chinese cuisine in Beijing does not taste like its American take-out cousin. There are similarities across family lines, yes, but the flavors here are more vivid.
What I have found most surprising is that there are endless combinations of dishes and flavors among the regional cuisines of China, which makes for endless possibilities for food lovers. From the sharp, fresh crunch of bok choy floating among pork dumplings in clear broth to the piquant, numbing sensation of the Sichuan peppercorn to the dozen or so variety of woody, earthy, chewy mushrooms you can find on any menu, to the sticky, sweet, gooey pile of hot fried bananas for dessert, it takes a while to get tired of Chinese food here.
It is exciting to watch the results of thousands of years of gastronomic history come together every day in the food we order at each meal. I watched a man hand pull noodles out of a flat round disk of dough and then drop them into boiling broth for a dish that Z ordered for dinner the other night. It took the chef mere seconds to accomplish this task, and it was a simple dish of beef and vegetables and wide flat noodles in broth, but it tasted so fresh and delicious. It's so extraordinarily normal here, and so not artisanal. There are plenty of fusion restaurants in our neighborhood, and just the kinds of talked-about places I love to frequent in the States, but here I am happy with the thoughtfulness of everyday Beijing food.
Sure, I miss french fries and we've caved and
ordered pizza (not bad, by the way). We also had the worst Mexican food, ever, ever!
We should have gone with the guidebook's recommendation, instead we went with what was closest to the apartment. Who makes chicken enchiladas with no cheese and only the hottest peppers known to man!? It was no Sol Azteca, I assure you. Sometimes, by the way, a day without cheese, is a day without sunshine. But despite all my drama, I can live with these kinds of culinary mistakes when I get to have Beijing Duck any other night of the week. Oh, that sweet, salty, crunchy, crispy combination.
Now the grocery store and its contents is a whole other subject; one which I will have to save for another day. But here is a list of some of my favorite restaurant dishes, thus far:
* Lotus Root - who knew this crunchy, mildly sweet vegetable and I would become such good friends so quickly?
* Peanuts soaked in vinegar - crunchy, salty, acidic, addictive goodness. If you love salt and vinegar potato chips, you will love this dish!
* Beijing Duck - there is nothing like this dish straight from the region in which it was made famous. It's fun to eat, and satisfies all your taste buds in one rolled up bite.
* Glutinous rice cakes with beans and crab - (pictured above the duck photo) This is from a restaurant we have frequented (meaning, more than once). The second time we went back to order this dish, we accidentally ordered an equally delicious meal with a different sauce, also served with crab. Glutinous rice just means sticky rice - these are rice balls formed into discs, with a smooth, chewy consistency -- safe for gluten free friends. The crab sauce was reminiscent of "Old Bay" seasoning.
* Xiao long bao - translates to little dragon bun. They are steamed, juicy pork dumplings that I could eat every day. I'll share a picture soon, but it must be that I gobble them up before I can snap a picture.
* Uyghur or Xinjiang food -- can you smell the roast mutton, naan style breads, healthy dose of spices and shrimp kebabs coming to the table? mmmm.
Do I go there? OK...
Bon Appetite!
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