Since my first expat friend back in my university, Kungbao Chicken and Sweet & Sour Pork have always been on my list whenever I eat with non-Chinese people in a Chinese place. I just assumed the sweet and sour taste is a great bridge between the Chinese and non-Chinese dining culture until one day one of my co-workers shouted “We don’t only want to eat them! Some of us just don’t know what else to order!”
Aha, if that was the case, I may have many to say! Here is my list of favorites.
1.Ribs Soup (Pai Gu Tang, 排骨汤)
This is always on my top list for food. A bowl of Ribs Soup can keep me happy and health for a week! After a long time of boiling ribs in the soup with low heat, all of the nutrition comes out to the milk white soup. Sometimes the soup comes with lotus, radish, corns or more. Can be found in Cantonese restaurants and Hubei restaurants ( i.e. Jiu Tou Niao)
2.Suancai Yu (Pickled fish, 酸菜鱼)
Typical Sichuan food. Tender fish slices soaked in pickles soup with a little spice, most importantly, the fish slices don’t have bones! Can be found in any Sichuan restaurants.
3.Dongpo Zhouzi (Dongpo pork hock, 东坡肘子)
Originally invented by the famous poet Su Dongpo, tender meat with enriched collagen is always a good choice for meat fans and girls! Can be found at Meizhou Dongpo.
4.Furu Kongxincai (Fried water spinach with Fermented Bean Curd, 腐乳空心菜)
For vegetarians or those who has been eating greasily, this might be a good choice. Whenever my mother didn’t cook me any fancy dishes, Fermented Bean Curd (腐乳) was always the one she used to comfort me for lacking of flavors. Can be found in Cantonese restaurants.
5.Yanshui Xia (Salty water shrimp, 盐水虾)
Some people may like Youmen Daxia (Oil stewed shrimp, 油闷大虾) more, I prefer Yanshui Xia for the more authentic flavor of shrimps. Just by piling the shrimp shells, I have so much fun. Can be found in Jiangsu restaurants.
Photos: Flickr, user Lichtbildner_64, .问号鱼, M.Wo, incity007, CathyCat, fetjia