China Food and Drink Guide: Wetin to Chop, Drink and Order

Why China na food lover dream

Chinese cuisine no be one cuisine, na dozens of regional kitchen, each get im own flavor. Sichuan bring numbing chili heat, Cantonese lean fresh and delicate, and northern China love wheat noodle and dumpling. To chop your way across di country na one of di best reasons to visit.

Signature dishes to try

• Peking duck (Beijing kao ya) - crispy shiny duck wey dem carve for table, wrap for thin pancake wit scallion and sweet bean sauce. Try Quanjude or Da Dong for Beijing.
• Mapo tofu - silky tofu inside fiery Sichuan sauce of chili bean paste and numbing peppercorn.
• Xiaolongbao - Shanghai soup dumpling, best for Jia Jia Tang Bao or Din Tai Fung.
• Hotpot (huo guo) - simmering pot wey you go cook meat, tofu and vegetable yourself; Chongqing style na di spiciest.
• Dim sum - Cantonese small plates like har gow and char siu bao, dem serve am wit tea for Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Street food wey worth hunting

• Jianbing - savory crepe wit egg, crispy cracker and chili, di classic Beijing breakfast (around 8-12 yuan).
• Roujiamo - di Xi'an pork "burger" wey dem stuff inside flatbread.
• Chuan'r - cumin-spiced lamb skewer wey dem grill for street, often dem chop am wit cold beer.
• Stinky tofu - pungent and crispy, na love-am-or-hate-am favorite for night market.

Wetin to drink

• Tea - green, oolong, pu-erh and jasmine dey everywhere; teahouse dey good for break.
• Baijiu - strong sorghum liquor wey dem use for toast; sip am carefully.
• Tsingtao and Yanjing - di most common local beer.
• Soy milk and rice wine - breakfast soy milk dey warm and small sweet.

Dining etiquette and tips

• Chop dey shared from communal dishes wey dem put for center, often for lazy Susan.
• Hold rice bowl close to your mouth; never stand chopstick upright inside rice (e resemble incense for funeral).
• Dem go pour tea for others first; tap two fingers for table to say thank you.
• Tipping generally no dey expected.
• Use Alipay or WeChat Pay - plenty small stall no dey collect cash again. To link dis one fit hard for tourist, so set am up before you land.
• To point finger for dish for menu or another table go work when no English dey.

Stay connected for China

HelloSIM eSIM go keep you online for map, menu translation and restaurant booking, no roaming fee, so you fit find dat hidden noodle shop without to hunt for Wi-Fi.