I walked into a restaurant in Beijing and ordered a bowl of noodles just by following what the person in front of me had ordered.
When it was served, I was shocked by the mountain of chili peppers on top.

Surprisingly, it tasted fine — not overly spicy at all, totally bearable for me.

Later I showed the photo to one of my Chinese colleagues, and he said what I ate wasn’t even authentic!
He explained it for ages, but I still didn’t really get it. Can anyone help explain this to me?

I love these sour pickled long beans so much! I quietly ate three little plates, and afterwards I was too shy to get another helping.

Traveling across China, beyond classic treats like Peking duck, hot pot and roujiamo, I’ve stumbled upon an extraordinary hidden delicacy — Mao Xue Wang.

As someone who can barely handle spicy food, the first bite was sharp and fiery, as if tiny thorns were pricking my tongue. Yet strangely enough, I couldn’t put down my chopsticks, indulging in bite after bite uncontrollably.

It’s simply incredible. Every ingredient in this dish is something I would have never dared to taste in the past.

I’d wager only a handful of European travelers to China have ever ventured to try this unique flavor.

And finally, I’m truly grateful that I came across the Dragon Mate app, which made this unforgettable adventure all possible.

#ChinaTravel #ChineseCuisine #MaoXueWang #HiddenFoodGem #SpicyFoodAdventure

All I can taste are wood ear mushrooms and eggs. There’s some yellow strip-shaped ingredient inside that looks like flower buds, and it has a crispy texture — but I have no idea what it’s called.

Oh my goodness, it only costs 2 yuan. I’d gladly pay 2 US dollars for it.

Couldn’t help but have three pieces. I dare not eat too much though, since it’s super high in fat!

A delicacy from the Silk Road, it once became hugely popular across China and is a signature staple of Xinjiang cuisine. There was once an entire street in Urumqi lined solely with big plate chicken restaurants.
When traveling in China, you may not have time to visit the beautiful Xinjiang. But you can enjoy authentic Xinjiang big plate chicken in any city.

15 RMB per serving. Black square chunks with a weird smell. It's a famous snack from Changsha. Give me some courage!