Food In China

[Basso]

Hey guys,

I'm going to China next week for 2 and a half weeks. I don't really know what to expect out there, and was wondering if there was any food I should try, what has the best nutritional content, stuff to avoid etc. I'm not going to worry about dieting or anything and just enjoy it, but was interested if anyone had any information about what the best things to eat over there are.

Cheers guys!

[coma]

I would have thought the same rules apply over there as they do here, stick to whole foods and avoid the processed stuff.

[ryandj2]

There is loads of different food - totally different from chinese restaurants over here. It depends which region you go for - the north is colder so has lots of fatty, stodgy stuff and rice. In the south it is hot and tropical, so they tend to eat more spicy food (apparently the sweat cools you down). Noodles are more common in the south I think.

I tried snake when i was over there, amongst other things. The variety of food available is amazing! Are you travelling alone or with a group?

O yes, and also rice is seen as a poor mans food, so in restaurants you will tend to get all the meat dishes brought out first, and you should (if rich!) be able to fill up on these. Rice is then bought out as a filler.

[Ripped Barbarian]

China food safety scares the hell out of me, if i went there i'd prob eat like an anorexic for the duration of the holiday.

It's more of a phobia tho, i expect there is plenty of decent food to be had, just have to think carefully, despite the food scares etc there are plenty of regions over there still producing foods in traditional and organic ways not affected by industrial pollution etc.

[dope540]

stick to traditional places. usually do homecooked style foods.

expand your taste buds. what may seem weird over here may be common over there.

[ryandj2]

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China food safety scares the hell out of me, if i went there i'd prob eat like an anorexic for the duration of the holiday.

It's more of a phobia tho, i expect there is plenty of decent food to be had, just have to think carefully, despite the food scares etc there are plenty of regions over there still producing foods in traditional and organic ways not affected by industrial pollution etc.

If you are worried about food safety do you mean hygeine or contaminants?

For hygiene, good places to eat are the street sellers - you can see everything being cooked and prepared in front of you. I was there for 3 weeks and never got ill once. Very full on several occasions!

Watch out for the Chinese rice "wine" - it costs about 50p a bottle and is like some kind of rocket fuel, averaging about 60% alcohol it is deadly!

Try anything you can! You will enjoy it. On the whole, chinese diet is more healthy than the "average" western diet.

[dope540]

ryan- did you find that the smaller bars/ cafes were better in general?

i find they have a more homecooked fel to the food and less of the 'extras' that larger places have, stuff like msg etc.

[Wotan]

we did have some foody pictures up here once.

Rats having their fur blowtorched off getting ready for the pot, scorpion stew etc etc. Personally I'm at one with RC - I'd have a suitcase full of Heinz's best in the hotel room.

[sendos]

They pump so much growth hormone into their live stock that you'd probaly fail a drugs test just by eating them. I remember reading that the U.S had to import almost all the food for their athletes during the olympics because of these fears! on the plus side you might get a little bigger whilst your away.

[coma]

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They pump so much growth hormone into their live stock that you'd probaly fail a drugs test just by eating them. I remember reading that the U.S had to import almost all the food for their athletes during the olympics because of these fears! on the plus side you might get a little bigger whilst your away.

I think it's mostly female hormones so it wouldn't be that great getting big.