September 25, 2009
What comes to your mind when you hear the term “Chinese food”? Delivery, Sundays hungover on the couch, dates in the park, cats and dogs, fried rice? Well, throw out all of those stereotypes because I am about to give you a crash course on China’s finest food!
When I open my fridge at 123 Yangping Lu, I find fresh fruits organic veggies (which they do sell, not sure of China’s regulations for organic though), yogurt, and some left over rice. It took a few tries to find brands that I like since it was difficult to decipher through the Chinese. Once I step out of my apartment, there is an endless assortment of foods.
I like to begin my Sunday mornings with a stroll around the block to the nearest pancake stand. These are no Dexter pancakes, but still pretty tasty. Rice flour with green onions and sesame seeds really help absorb that alcohol from the night before.
Small dumpling and noodle shops fill the busy streets. I can roll on in and pick out my favorite noodles and vegetables to be cooked in a spicy broth and a side of fresh dumplings that were just taken off the grill. Another choice is the noodle shop across from my apartment where the noodles are hand rolled and cooked to order.
Szechuan is a type of Chinese food. A little more on the spicy side, which I love. It is served family style. One person orders several dishes that are placed on a rotating platform in the center of the table. Many Chinese fill the table till plates are stacked on one another. It denotes a higher level of economic and social status when food is left on the plates after the meal. This shows that everyone at the table has eaten enough food. However, when I went with friends we ate everything because it was so good (I guess that shows I am a poor teacher).
Just like any big city, there is a variety of food from around the world. If I need to get out of the apartment, I can grab a sandwich and hop onto the internet at Waggas. For those days that I just need American comfort food, I like to head down to Munchies. Just as it sounds, hamburgers, hotdogs, french fries, and milk shakes delicious. Also, there is an array of sushi and Thai restaurants which are good to hit up any night of the week.
Amazingly, with all this food my pants still fit. It must be all the walking I do along the way.
