The development of Guilin tourism has had a good effect on dining as well. It is said that Guilin cuisine is a combination of Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan dishes with sour and spicy to be its best features. A lot of delicious local snacks such as Guilin rice noodles(Mifen in Mandarin), nun noodles, Oil tea(You Cha), Bamboo Rice(Zhutongfan) etc. and yummy main dishes namely Steamed Li River Fish, Gingko stewed with Old Duck(Baiguo Dun Laoya), Yangshuo Beer Fish, Luo Han Kuo boiled chicken etc. are all available here, arousing your appetite as soon as you see them. Follow TOC to know more and dig deeper!
Yummy Local Snacks
A lot of yummy local snacks would be involved in our Guilin tours. The followings are the details of the most famous ones.
Guilin rice noodles
The snack-Guilin rice noodles is a staple of the locals' diet, with a long histoy that can be dated back to the Qin Dynasty. Legend has it that when Qin troops painfully suffering from the diarrhea, a cook created Guilin rice noodles for the army as they could not be accustomed to local food. It is pliable but strong, fragrant, mellow, and extremely cheap(about 2.5 RMB a bowl). Besides, the dish is served in a bowl of soup made from pork, beef, garlic, peanuts, peppers and radish slices, very savoury and aromatic, making you mouth watering at once.
Guilin rice noodles can be found in almost all the local eateries, and the most famous one would be the hoese meat rice noodles of Huixian Lou. It is a must-taste snack in Guilin. Please do have a try and you are assured to love it!
Oil tea(you cha)
Oil tea is an ethnic delicacy which is definitely worth trying. With a greeny-gray color and strong taste, it is greatly loved by local citizens, especially the ethnic Yao people. The tea is prepared by frying tealeaves with a lot of seasonings such as garlic, salt, ginger, chili and oil of course mixed together. It is more like a broth than a regular tea. While drinking, the leaves would be pounded with a hammer-like wooded pestle to release its flavor. Guilin oil tea is very conducive to refreshing yourself and removing coldness in your body.
Nun noodles
The dish-Nun noodles is a kind of vegetarian noodles created by a nun in Yueya Hill. It is said to be as good as Guilin rice noodles and extremely worth trying, too. The secret why it is so palatable lie in its soup, which is boiled with bean sprouts, fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The soup is fragrant, bright in colors and full of nutritions. The noodles are then served with the soup, vegetables as well as seasonings. The best place to enjoy Nun noodles is at Yueya Lou in Seven Star Park.
Yueya Lou
Tel: 0773-5812236
Address: in Seven Star Park, at the bottom of Yueya Hill, Guilin. 桂林市月牙山下七星公园内
Palatable Main dishes
Steamed Li River Fish
Steamed Li River Fish enjoys great reputation among both local citizens and travelers throughout the world. It is renowned for its tenderness and deliciousness. When put the fish in your mouth, you don't even have to chew as it will melt itself and give you the best taste you've ever had. Accompanied with special sweet sauce, the steamed fish appears to be the best choice for people who prefer light flavour food.
Gingko stewed with Old Duck
Gingko stewed with Old Duck is a well-known traditional Guilin dish, very popular indeed. Gingkos, sliced old duck, ham slices and some other ingredients would be prepared in advance and put together into a ceramic pot, then stewed in a bamboo steamer. Finally, a bowl of strong-tasting but clear soup with fresh savoury duck and nutritious gingko is out of oven, so aromatic and yummy. This dish is said to have natural nourishing capabilities and can promote the secretion of body fluids as well as aid in moistening the lungs among other benefits. What a great tonic dish it is!
Yangshou Beer Fish
How about a juicy Li River fish, cooked with fresh beer (brewed with Li River water), tomatoes, garlic leaves and ginger slices? Isn't it wonderful? This is a famous specialty of Yangshuo County, also a great tourist spot with breathtaking sceneries. Having a taste of it would be an unforgettable culinary experience. The best place to enjoy the dish is the famous West Street, for the beer fish here is the most traditional. Here a group of people can sit around a table and eat delicious Yangshuo Beer Fish in a warm atmosphere. What an exciting feeling!
Editor's words:
As for me, one of the most exciting thing when travel to another city or country is to taste the local yummy delicacies. They are so different from the dishes in my hometown and taste so good. If you are also interested in it, please talk to the trip advisors of TOC to add your ideas on your Guilin tours. Do protect your stomach and have a great time here!
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