If you think the picture above looks lethal,let me assure you,it’s way more lethal than you could possibly imagine. This spicy concoction is from a hot pot place located a couple blocks from my uncle’s apartment so location-wise,it was really convenient. On top of that,they give you a voucher for 20RMB for every 100RMB you spend…so a good deal if you’re a hot pot lover. My uncle’s word of advice was to stick to hot pot places that are well established like this one simply because you can be that much more sure of the cleanliness of the restaurant.
jQuery(“document”).ready(function(){jQuery(‘#ngg-gallery-88-1166′).galleryView({panel_width:600,panel_height:400,frame_width:40,frame_height:40,transition_interval:0,overlay_color:‘#222′,overlay_text_color:‘white’,caption_text_color:‘#222′,background_color:‘transparent’,border:‘none’,nav_theme:‘dark’,easing:‘easeInOutQuad’});});I guess a dish that my mom must’ve loved from her time in Beijing was zha jiang mian. We had it a LOT at home so I was very familiar with this dish. This noodle dish uses a really thick and heavily seasoned paste instead of a broth and man,is it good. The paste usually consists of some sort of bean paste,some chili for heat,and meat like pork or some extra firm tofu. On it’s own,the paste can be a bit salty but with the noodles mixed in,it’s just perfect. Even if you’ve had home made zha jiang mian or have been to a restaurant that serves it state side,you still have to have a zha jiang mian restaurant on your hit list when you come to Beijing. jQuery(“document”).ready(function(){jQuery(‘#ngg-gallery-85-1148′).galleryView({panel_width:600,panel_height:400,frame_width:40,frame_height:40,transition_interval:0,overlay_color:‘#222′,overlay_text_color:‘white’,caption_text_color:‘#222′,background_color:‘transparent’,border:‘none’,nav_theme:‘dark’,easing:‘easeInOutQuad’});});If the pictures haven’t convinced you,let me just reiterate again that you must try the Peking Duck if you’re in Beijing. Not only do you get an amazing meal,but you also get to witness some really fantastic knife work from the chef. I’ve been to Beijing one other time and visited a different Peking duck restaurant and in both cases,the duck was brought out before you and carved right by your table. The chef uses a square shaped knife and peels the skin and meat off almost like you would use a small pairing knife to shave down a fruit or vegetable. As for the duck itself,Amanda said that she would’ve preferred the skin a little crispier to render off some of the fat. We ordered a couple sides that are staples of Beijing cuisine like the greens,the mushrooms cooked in a thick soy sauce based sauce,the stir fry shredded potatoes,and a braised pork belly (my dad’s favorite). Pro tip! Instead of smearing the hoison sauce all over the wrappers,which were extremely thin,dip the scallions,cucumbers,and duck pieces in hoison sauce first. This avoids any tearing in the wrapper from spreading and also is just less messy in general. In NYC Chinatown there is plenty of cheap and delicious food to be had! After exploring this place for 3 years,I feel like we still haven’t seen half of it all. Here are some of our favorites Joe’s Shanghai –go only for their Pork &Crabmeat soup dumplings (xiao long bao) and eat with care Jing Fong –dim sum mecca (if you have the time,venture out into Flushing and go to Ocean Jewel!),try the Fried Taro Dumpling filled with Pork and Mushroom (wu gok) [pictured!] Hop Shing –my favorite take-out dim sum spot with all the essentials (har gao,siu mai,har cheung,fung zaau),just gotta fight the crowd and make it to the counter,closed for renovation,will be back hopefully soon Banh Mi Saigon –ridiculous Chicken Banh Mi for $3.75,spiked with jalapenos and Sriracha Xe Lua –best vietnamese Pho in the area,super fast delivery to FiDi Vanessa’s Dumplings –trust me:it’s better than Prosperity Dumpling by far,4 Potstickers for $1,Sesame Pancake sandwich with Roast Duck for $2.25 Yummy Noodle –go for the Claypot Rice,if you do delivery they give you the claypot free! Teariffic –good bubble tea with decent tea flavor:not too sweet and not too bitter Chinatown Ice Cream Factory –try the Almond Cookie and Pandan flavors,their ice cream isn’t as creamy as traditional custard-based ice creams which helps to tone down the egg-y flavor. Golden Manna Bakery –flaky Portuguese Egg Tart (Dan Tat),perfectly crisp Water Dumplings (xian shui jiao) [pictured],all pastries,clean seating area Dragon Land Bakery –Pineapple Bun (bo lo bao),Red Bean Bun Nice One Bakery –giant Sesame Balls with Red Bean (jing dui),bring someone who speaks Mandarin/Cantonese! Mei Li Wah Bakery –the best baked Roast Pork Bun (char siu bao) ever,hands down  |  | |
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