Ten Must-Try Foods in Xiamen

Mangoes, mangosteens, melons, star fruit, star fish, abalone, mussels, oysters, whelks, cockles and lobster - Xiamen is a subtropical island in the South China Sea and its foods reflect all the bounty and diversity of the sea and the warm, languid climate.

In order to retain the natural flavour of foods the cuisine of Fujian Province places emphasis on cooking methods like braising and steaming. Soups, soupy stews and soupy noodles feature heavily and are considered an ideal way to highlight the inherent flavour of ingredients. In Xiamen, the local saying  不汤不行 bù tāng bù xíng means "It is unacceptable for a meal not to have soup" but translates literally as "No soup, no go."

1. Seafood Satay Noodle Soup 沙茶面 Shacha Mian  

 

Arguably Xiamen's most famous dish, sha cha main is a base of rich, creamy, nutty curry satay soup with the addition of wheat noodles and seafood and meats of the diner's choice. 

Sha cha mian restaurants display trays of squid, shrimp, oysters, cockles, and baby octopus alongside cooked pork intestines and fat pork which you add as you wish, the final price of your soup reflecting the number of ingredients you add. The result is a heady and fragrant meal with whispers of laksa, which it most closely resembles.

 

2. Gold Wraps Silver 金包银 Jin Bao Yin

These street snacks have a wonderful name, a reference to the treasure within and without. They are common on Gulang Yu island, where a steamer full of the plump little buns can be found on every corner. 

The outer wrapper is made from sticky rice and arrowroot flour, soft, warm and pleasantly chewy. The inside is a rich, dark mixture of finely shredded mushrooms, bamboo shoots and pickles, sometimes with a little meat added.

 

3. Tu Sun Dong 土笋冻 Sea Worm Jelly

How can I describe this in a way that sounds anything other than off-putting?

 

A popular cold dish with pride of place at every banquet dinner in Xiamen, tu sun dong is made using a short marine mud worm - the 'bamboo shoot of the earth' (tu sun 土笋 , actually the sipunculid worm, 星虫). After being washed clean of any residual mud the worms are set in a light vinegar aspic.

 

Yet for the adventurous eater this little dish is a masterpiece of textures and distinctive and novel flavours - the cold vinegar aspic is cool and smooth on the tongue, and as you bite in there is a rush of briny saltiness then the pleasant chewiness of the worms themselves. The accompanying sauces - horseradish, satay, and chill, with cold shreds of lightly pickled radish, add more layers of flavour as you eat.

 

4. Popiah 薄饼 Baobing

 

These Fujian-style fresh spring rolls have different filling variations according to where they originate. In Xiamen they are made with a very fine wheat pancake spread with a sweet red sauce and fine sprinkles of dried seaweed, then filled with a cooked mixture of carrot, radish, pork and sometimes seafood. 

 

5. Oyster Omelette 蚝仔煎 Haozi Jian

 

 

 

Green shallots are mixed with tiny brown haozi (oysters) and fried until they brown before being surrounded by a halo of golden omelette. The tangy red sauce is optional. 

I must admit I ate this famed Xiamen street food with some trepidation because it broke one of my tried and tested Street Food Survival Rules - to never eat seafood on the street, especially when the weather is warm. But hey, I figured I was working in a hospital all week anyway, so if I ran into trouble help wasn't far away.

As it turns out, the oyster omelette did me no harm. Was it fabulous enough I would risk it a second time? Probably not.

 

6. Zongzi 粽子

No ordinary zongzi, Xiamen's sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaf rises up from the plate like the snout of a sea beast, its severed head resting in a puddle of what are by now a familiar trio of chili sauce, horseradish and satay sauce.

The zongzi in Xiamen are large and filled with a tasty combination of fat pork, chestnuts, mushrooms, shrimp and small pieces of other seafoods. Each one is an entire meal in itself.

 

7. Peanut Soup 花生汤 Huasheng Tang

Peanuts are commonly used in Xiamen's cuisine, and locals love to eat bowls of warm, sweet peanut soup. The peanuts are soaked and boiled before being cooked into a thick sweetened soup. Rather bland on its own, the soup is often served with crunchy youtiao fried bread sticks, fried dumplings or steamed pork buns.

8. Zhan Sanfeng's Milk Tea 张三疯奶茶

 

The island of Gulangyu is famous for its beautiful old buildings, its pianos, and apparently also a portly cat called Zhang SanFeng. He has his own milk tea shop there, and his story is explained on the wall outside (transposed verbatim):

 

"Zhang SanFeng is a cat lives on Gulang Yu, Xiamen. He lives leisurely andcarefree. He acted crazily in his chilhood while he is now thinking deeper. He has many romantic stories. Sometimes he elopes with the dog of next door in Gulangyu a few days. If there is no interval of sea around this island, they've already travelled around the world."

His motto: Be yourself. Enjoy life. Sweet home.

A trip to Xiamen wouldn't be complete without trying the wares at Zhang Sanfeng's milk tea shop. The milk tea (hot or cold) isn't bad - it's milky, it's tea, and it has added sultanas and flaked almonds - either delicious or alarming, depending on your viewpoint. There is also milk tea flavoured nougat, and jars of Zhang Sanfeng's favourite snack - dried shrimp with peanuts. 

 

9. Mango Ice

The warm, humid sub-tropical climate of Xiamen means icy desserts are hugely popular in flavours of green tea, red bean and purple taro. Xiamen's mangoes, as big as footballs, are available almost all year round and are one of the most popular flavours for juices and ices.

 

This delectable dessert is a mango parfait with layers of diced mango in syrup, mango jelly, shaved frozen mango (like a sorbet, made on the spot from chunks of frozen mango flesh) served up topped with sweet biscuity crumbs.

 

10. Fresh Seafood 海鲜 Haixian

 

Fresh seafood is Xiamen's trademark, and it's difficult to go twenty four hours without having a shrimp, scallop, or piece if fish pop up in your meal.

 

Small seafood restaurants and stalls abound, with some seafood available live in tanks (and therefore fresh), and some on ice (and alarmingly, some not on ice). You choose your seafood - shrimp, langoustine, lobster, ten kinds of crab, fish, shellfish - pay by weight, then have it cooked to order.

 

The seafood is plentiful and the choice on offer utterly staggering. If you visit Xiamen in the summer, check the weather report, don't do anything stupid, and steer clear of the seafood on the streets.

 

 

 

Top 5 Chinese Street Foods

What you can't miss in China is the street food. The taste it brings is what you can never get from any restaurant. It is cheap and very delicious!!!

 

Hangzhou's best restaurants

First-time visitors to Hangzhou will quickly realize there's no shortage of restaurants to visit and amazing local dishes to discover. In other words, there's precious little time to waste on hit-or-miss culinary misadventures. That's where we come in.
To guide you round the city's best eateries, we've compiled a seven-day Hangzhou food checklist that will serve up the best without breaking the bank.

Monday: Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家)

Stir-fried cauliflower and bacon is one of the most popular dishes in Hangzhou.

With its multitude of convenient locations throughout Hangzhou, this successful Chinese chain restaurant is the order of the day for visitors who want to dine like a true local.
Grandma’s Kitchen is a quirky phenomenon that must be experienced to be believed, with legendarily long wait times during the dinner rush that only seem to underline its reputation as the undisputed champ in mid-range family restaurants.
The restaurant presents a large menu full of clear photos and reasonable prices.
Just point at what you want, be prepared to wait, then dig in and chew on the fact that you've got six more days of fun ahead.

8/F, Bldg. B, Hangzhou Tower, No. 1 Wuling Square, near Huancheng Bei Lu 武林广场1号杭州大厦B座8楼, 近环城北路, +86 571 8517 5778, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4 p.m.-9 p.m.

Tuesday: Green Tea (绿茶)

Northern Chinese crispy lamb gets a local twist with Hangzhou ingrédients.

 

Hangzhou's local cuisine doesn't need to be mired in stuffy mainstays like West Lake sour fish or stir-fried Dragon Well shrimp.
Thanks to visionary local restaurateurs who have taken things to the next level with daring dishes that break away from tradition, tourists can enjoy more creative culinary expressions made with locally sourced ingredients.
Green Tea Restaurant has become recognized as a revered innovator that takes healthy risks in designing its foods, often delivering delicious rewards to those who take a chance.
With two locations to choose from, visitors can decide if they wish to dine in the city or, if they prefer, make a voyage up winding mountain roads to the restaurant's original location.
Either way, reservations are recommended before dropping in, as there will likely be a lengthy line at the door.

83 Longjing Road, opposite the back door of Zhejiang Hotel 龙井路83号, 浙江宾馆后门斜对面, +86 571 8788 8022, 10:30 a.m.-midnight

Wednesday: Yun Shui Yao (云水谣)

One of Yun Shui Yao's greatest attractions is the picturesque backdrop contrasting modern and historic Hangzhou.

With two venues in Hangzhou, Yun Shui Yao brings inspired dishes with all the flavor and character of China's famously remote regions, including Yunnan and Guizhou.
The restaurant serves some of Hangzhou's best fusion at prices that don't soar through the roof.
Both of the small, understated locations provide an experience that feels a lot less like being in the city and a lot more like being tucked into a hideaway destination.
The recommended best-seller is the fish-head platter, which may sound freakish to some, but doesn't disappoint, with tender, flaky meat in a rich and spicy broth.

17-23 Donghexia, Xiaohe Lu 小河路东河下17-23号, +86 571 8694 9407, 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Thursday: The Vineyard (味雅咖啡)

The Vineyard provides authentic American pub foods that are hard to find in Hangzhou.

On your fourth straight day of Chinese fare, The Vineyard provides a chance to recalibrate those tired taste buds.
The restaurant's food has gained well-deserved notoriety amongst Hangzhou's expat community. Thursday nights are set aside for the weekly trivia competitions that keep them coming back for more.
It's comforting to find a venue in Hangzhou that provides consistently authentic Western fare with a healthy dose of American attitude.
Vineyard has fulfilled many a deprived diner's needs, with classics like bacon mushroom melt burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and New York-style pizzas.
Drinks are a straightforward affair, with a decent selection of imported and domestic beers and an enormous wine list.
Located near Zhejiang University and some of the most popular bars and clubs in town, Vineyard is a great launchpad to start a big night.

1/F, Zhongtian Mansion, 173 Yugu Lu, near Tianmushan Lu 玉古路173号中田大厦1楼, 近天目山路, +86 571 8763 2388, 10 a.m.-midnight (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.)

Friday: Hubin 28 (湖滨28)

Hubin 28's spacious and elegant interior provides a perfect backdrop for dining.

Returning to Chinese food on your fifth day should be done in style.
Hubin 28 is the perfect way to segue into excellent Hangzhou regional dishes prepared to Hyatt's international standards.
While this isn't the cheapest venue, the value for the money is excellent if you're in the mood for a high-level experience that makes the most of local cuisine and fusion concepts.
Along with the tantalizing menu, the decor will transport diners to a place that reeks of refinement without making them feel they have been disconnected from the roots of Hangzhou's unique flavor.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of dining at Hubin 28 on a Friday night is being smack in the middle of Hangzhou's tourism and nightlife district and right next to virtually everything worth seeing.

1/F, Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, 28 Hubin Lu, near Pinghai Lu 湖滨路28号杭州凯悦酒店1楼, 近平海路, +86 571 8779 1234, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Saturday: Sawasdee Thai Restaurant (萨瓦迪泰国餐厅)

Sweet and spicy chicken is a popular favorite, while shrimp cakes on sugar cane take taste to the next level.

Since opening in 2009, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale West Lake Hangzhou has quickly become one of the most important landmarks for tourists who don't want to stray too far from the city center.
You can still sample a bit of Hangzhou's nightlife at safe distance from a venue where helpful and friendly English-speaking staff are on hand.
Besides having a fabulous buffet, the Wyndham (as locals refer to the hotel with the longest name in town) brings Thailand's trademark cuisine to visitors and natives alike, with authentic dishes that are simply some of the finest available for the price.

2/F, 555 Fengqi Lu, corner of Fengqi Lu and Huancheng Xi Lu 凤起路555号, 凤起路和环城西路路口, +86 571 8761 6888, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: Crystal Jade Garden (翡翠花园酒家)

The Japanese-designed interior provides a natural skylight during the day and an amazing view at night.

It's your seventh day on the prowl through Hangzhou's best-loved local spots, and an authentic Cantonese/Shanghainese meal is a good way to round out your culinary adventure.
Crystal Jade Garden is tucked within the picturesque tree-lined walkways of Xihutiandi on the edge of West Lake.
Probably the best part of dinning at this venue -- besides the comfortable and inviting decor -- is the fact that you can have a full-blown banquet fit for a king. Alternatively, take things in smaller bites with a dim sum menu that rivals anything you'll find in Hong Kong.
It's easy to spend a leisurely afternoon in Crystal Jade Garden's elegant dining room, which will give you a perfect chance to reflect upon your week spent rubbing shoulders with the foodies  of Hangzhou.