The First Stop - What to eat in Hangzhou

Hangzhou(杭州)is a very popular destination in China. There is an old saying in Chinese that shows how beautiful it is: "Up above there is heaven; down below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou". It has abundant natural attractions and historical and cultural heritages. Its most famous scenic spot is West Lake (西湖).Besides there are plenty of yummy food that attract tourists. Just follow me and discover those gourmet in Hangzhou.

1. Dongpo Pork (东坡肉）

Dongpo Pork is Hangzhou's trademark dish. It is named after a renowned poet, artist and calligrapher Su Dongpo who is supposed to invented this dish. It requires around 4 hours cooking and the the meat is so tender that you can easily pry it away in small pieces with chopsticks.





2.West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy (西湖醋鱼)

This is a special dish in a famous restaurant called Lou Wai Lou (楼外楼) which is in existence for over 150 years right on the West lake. The fish is fresh and tastes sweet and sour.



3. Orecchiette(猫耳朵)

The Chinese name of this snack is ”ear of cat“, but don't be scared, it is just a kind of noodle that looks like cat's ear! It has many different ways to eat: with soup, fired or stirred.



4. Old Duck stewed with dried Bamboo Shoot (笋干老鸭煲)

Bamboo shoot is a popular vegetable in southern part of China. In order to preserve bamboo shoot for longer time, people made it to dried bamboo shoot. Dried bamboo shoot is a great ingredient for any kind of soup. "Old duck" means the duck must have been fed longer than 2 year, so the meat is firmer and tastes not too tender.



5. Steamed Pork Slices with Rice Flour in Lotus Leaves (荷叶粉蒸肉)

There are many poems that describe the beauty of West Lake in stime with blooming lotus. Lotus is not only ornamental plants, it can also be used as cooking ingredient. In this dish the leaves of lotus are used to wrap the meat with rice flour. The leaves not only give the meat a special sweet scent but also absorb the extra fat of the meat.




6. Lotus root powder of the West Lake (西湖藕粉）

As mentioned before, the Lotus can be used as cooking ingredient, its root which is called as ou(藕）can be cooked as vegetables or made into powder. The powder can be made into dessert that tastes sweet and smooth.



7. Dragon Well Green Tea with Shrimp (龙井虾仁)

If you visit Hangzhou, never ever miss the Dragon Well Tea which is famous throughout China. The tea tastes best with Tiger Spring (虎跑水)from a well located in a temple of Hangzhou. Cooking the shrimp with green tea gives the dish a great fragrance and thus get rid of the raw smell of seafood.





8. Luxury Banquet-Glass Paper Wrapped Fin (纸包鱼翅)& West Lake Steamed Bun with Crab Roe inside (西湖蟹包)

For Chinese cuisine, the color and smell are as important as the taste. just see these two dishes, and I am sure you will understand the reason!