There are several things to love about China, and food is one of them...
"Beijing Kao Ya" (Peking Duck)
This was one of the first meals Johnny took me to in Kunming. It was absolutely delicious. The duck is roasted until the outside of the skin is crispy, which leaves the inside meat very tender and tasty. The platter we ordered reminded me of fajitas - they bring you sheets of dough (similar to a flat dumpling) to wrap with duck, vegetables, and a brown sauce that tastes like Mexican mole sauce (notice we left the head on the plate):
Street Food
Unlike some places in the States, Street food in China is some of the freshest you can get (sometimes). Farmers come into the city each morning with their little carts and sell their food on the streets... the potatoes were my favorite. They were diced, fried, and then tossed in a little bag with spices (pepper if you want). All for about 5 US cents.
Pineapple season was just ending when we got there (Johnny's favorite), but we still managed to find some. Some of the best I've ever tasted (and yes, I've been to Hawaii):
Ethnic Foods
Suprisingly to me, China has THE best Indian food and Muslim food I've ever tasted. No contest. Unfortunately, I lost all of my pictures from the Indian restaurant, but I do have some pictures from my favorite Muslim restaurant... they also have the best soup I've ever tasted in my life, and it's just broth! I'd kill for the recipe. They also make their own noodles fresh everyday, which were divine. We ate here at least once or twice a week.
Here's a pic of Johnny eating a meat-kabob at the Chinese-Muslim restaurant... the meat was tender and covered in good spices. That little bowl is the broth (comes with every meal) I was raving about. A full meal here for the two of us cost less than $2 (US).
Making fresh noodles at the Muslim restaurant:
Broth with the noodles, meat, and herbs (cilantro):
Freshly squeezed Mango juice. No lie, it's the best juice I've ever had in my life (and I've had a lot).
Chinese Barbecue
(I can't remember the technical name in Chinese, except for the fact that it sounds like "chow cow")
Mike and Natalie graciously introduced us to this restaurant - it was one of my favorites. Below is the cold case fridge where you pick out your items (can you spot the pig's tail?)
After you've picked out your items and put them on a little tray, you take it to the barbeque guy (for lack of a better term) where he adds some spices then grills them (our choices were green beans, beef, squash, and mushrooms):
Again, some of the best food I've ever tasted. The Chinese have a knack for seasoning something just enough to where it emphasizes the food's natural flavor without overpowering it. I miss their food.
"Hot Pot" (Huo Guo)
Hot pot is the chinese version of fondue. You basically have a pot of boiling broth, with the essentials (usually some type of meat and some vegetables).
Adding cilantro:
Some of the restaurants bring you cups of spices (garlic, ginger, fermented tofu, sesame oil, chili paste, cilantro, etc.) so you can create your own dipping sauce:
Besides the restaurant's staple broth (first pictures above), you order extra vegetables and meats to cook in the Hot Pot. One of my favorites was lotus root - it tastes like a potato, only a bit crunchier (it's on the top row, middle basket):
Group shot with Mike, Natalie, and Pamela:
Family Style
This is a typical Chinese restaurant. You go to a cold case (large refrigerator), point out the items you want (meat/vegetables), and the chefs take over from there... the only thing you really specify is how spicy (or not) you want it. Of course, you can always tell them to cook it a certain way, but it's more fun if they prepare it. For instance, at the restaurant in the picture below, we ordered (pointed to) some beef... when it got to our table, it was seared and slightly fried with some mint mixed in, and was absolutely delicious (bowl on the left). All dishes are served family style in big bowls (see below)... One of my favorites was fried goat cheese mixed with sauteed tomatoes and broccoli.
