Tasting China

China was a wonderful culinary experience. Every food we tasted was designed to perfection, to serve both the taste buds as well as the eyes. Our adventure started in Nanjing in Da Pai Deji where we got our first introduction to stinky tofu.Gosh, it does smell! 

This photo of Nanjing Da Pai Dang, Deji Plaza is courtesy of TripAdvisor
What we ate first was something like this, but there are many versions of it as we have come to know later. We have to say we have not liked any of the versions. I personally could not go past the smell to focus on the taste of it.

Since we were typically taken to different places by our Chinese hosts, the rest of this blog entry will give approximate locations.  The places we have been were typically around Chinese Academy of Sciences at Kexueyuan South Road Zhongguancun or BUPT.

Lunch close to BUPT 

Here we see a bridge made of ribs surrounded by soft rice flour breads. Absolutely delicious - though we had a hard time to start as we did not want to ruin the picturesque presentation.

Dinner across CAS  - Korean Barbecue

Korean barbecue typically means that thinly sliced meat is cooked right in front of you served together with a variety of kimchi. What made this place is special that, according to our hosts, singers from the best music school sing during dinner in traditional clothing. The food was enjoyable and so was the music! We also had a chance to drink this milky looking drinks Makgeolli, which resemble raki or ouzo, but are low in alcohol and a tad sweet-sour.  

Dinner around CAS - Fulinde Seafood hot pot

Having not eaten hotpot, my first try was in a restaurant, which is even a novelty for the Chinese as the cooking system is installed right in the table for each person. Hotpot is Chinese fondue, again several cuts of meat, vegetables and fish arrive raw, and are cooked in a steaming hot broth. In this place, we had three different pots (instead of one big pot) for each type of food and we started with fish, continued with meat, and finished with vegetables, which were mostly various different types of mushrooms. It was all elegantly done and served. Also, for kids, it is great entertainment, to cook your own food and it allows the conversation to keep going for the adults. Fervently recommended.

Lunch around CAS - Pyongyang Ling Luo Dao

This was an absolute treat. Everything, but everything, we tasted was absolutely delicious. What never ceased to amaze us in China that all dishes, whether it is considered as a dessert or a main course in our Western minds, come all together to the table. So, all tastes and flavors just mix with each other. Nevertheless, I ended up leaving what I considered as dessert to the end. The two fish, seen in the last picture were a pure delight - light, creamy, flan-like.

A Hutong treat from 200 years old bakery

One of our last days, we were taken by a student of Steve to a nearby Hutong to get some sweets. To tell the truth, I did not believe in Chinese sweets, which are typically made with too healthy ingredients such as green tea, and red bean paste etc. :) But, this place, changed my mind. For one, all the cookies look like a work of art. Second, they taste amazing, yes the healthy stuff, but I do not know how, they made them so that they just melt in your mouth while making you feel not that guilty about overeating!

Not for the faint hearted
We went to many other places, I just do not have pictures for all of them.
For instance, for the insect lover, there is Middle 8th. I could not bring myself to eat any, and there are many other delicious stuff from Yunnan cuisine there, but if you are more adventurous, this is one place you can try bees, worms of different sizes, and ants in a platter.

Finally the modern China
Finally, we had our Western world moments in Beijing. No, we did not go to Starbucks, or good heavens, to McDonalds but it was extremely hot in Beijing and so, we just _had_ to eat icecream! Haagen Dazs saved us many times and we always tried to go for the special creations such as a banana split looking like a boat or green tea and mango ice cream. This was a true splurge as Hagen Dazs is quite an expensive place to go in Beijing and you typically well-to-do and cool kids in such locations.

Another great place was the Maan Cafe in the BUPT campus. It seems like this place is a chain, something which we did not know at that moment. Steve, being the Belgian, splurged on their waffles. But for me, it was a great place to get that shot of espresso before starting to work, or have a cappuccino and work a bit there. To tell the truth, their western style restrooms, which turned out to be quite a luxury in China,  were also one of their main attractions! :D

Tibits, London

Address: 12-14 Heddon Street, off Regent St., London, W1B 4DA
WWW: www.tibits.co.uk

Summary: Vegetarian dishes you will not get enough of

Have been to Tibits twice, and each time it was like a mirage off the hustle bustle of the crowded streets. A food heaven, where people eat good food and have good drinks. The first time, it was during the week for a girls' night, which started with nicely minted mojitos. The second time, it was one of those rare hot Saturdays in London, and we were in search of a refreshing place close to Oxford Circus. Tibits was all I could think of.

Tibits works simple: You pick your plate, you fill it from the buffet and then they weigh it for you. And you are charged as much as you eat. The all vegetarian buffet has many interesting options from various different cuisines ranging from Thai to Italian. But, I always find myself splurging on the Dried Bean Salad with Walnuts (see the picture of the card taken from the restaurant). After eating so healthily, one does not feel guilty about trying desserts. So the second time, we did just that and hence, I had the most delicious passion fruit cheese cake in my life. Alone, this is enough to bring me back again!