In China, eating at a restaurant with no English and no pictures on the menu is daunting but it is also a whole lot cheaper!
While pointing at a dish on somebody else's table is always a strategy, it helps to have a few dishes you know you can order in a pinch. So I thought it would be nice to share our knowledge of Chinese cuisine in pinyin to help out our fellow travellors, and maybe expand our own repertoire. Please share any dishes you enjoy.
Jao zi - Dumplings! So good. Learn your meat names so you can request a filling. These are the ones that are more like wontons, but not in soup.
Bao zi - Dumplings! So good. These ones are breadier and steamed.
FYI - In both cases you are supposed to dip them in vinegar and it does taste really good.
Gong Bao Ji Ding - The classic - Kung Pao Chicken. Chicken cubes, cucumber, peanuts, in a spicy sauce. Spiciness varies. Almost guaranteed every restaurant makes it. I'm a little tired of it actually as it was the only thing I could successfully order my first few weeks here 😊
Tie Ban Niu Rou - Tie is pronounced
Tee and then eh (like the e sound in fetch) My favourite. Picture beef fajitas without the tortillas. A sizzling skillet of beef, peppers and onions with lots of black pepper. Varies restaurant to restaurant, some better than others, but when its good.... it is sooooo good.
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