As much fun as we have been having, some stuff has been pretty annoying. From time to time, I am going to vent about things that are irritating me. Today, that would be food.
The food. OMG, if I eat ONE MORE THING that is basically ground meat wrapped in bread or greasy bread, I am going to throw it at someone.
“What???” you might be asking yourself, “bread in China?” Yes. Bread. Here in northern China, there is not much rice on the menu.
All day long, we eat some form of bread or greasy dough. Da bing (shandong style bread), baozi (steamed buns), potstickers, shandong sandwiches (basically bread wrapped around ground beef or pork with scallions or cilantro), beijing breakfast aka mother & child sandwich (bread with chicken and egg on it), loubing (greasy pancakey thing wrapped around a fried crunchy dough thing). There are pictures of the kind of foods we have been eating here.
We have eaten at a few better restaurants, but it is also expensive and a hassle to drag the girls out in the cold for breakfast and dinner (we are often out at lunch time, so that is no problem). The local food in our neighborhood is all typical bland northern Chinese fare and that means bread and ground meat.
I loooove baozi. In fact, it is my favorite Chinese food, but a little variation wouldn’t kill anyone. They only have northern style baozi here, no char siu bao or redbean bao. Just meat with scallions or mushrooms or something else that is brown. Mr. A lived in Shandong province for a year, so he is loving the food options we have. Last night, he gave the girls a bag of da bing and called that dinner (!?!?!). It was basically like giving them baked pizza crust wit no sauce, cheese or toppings.
We have eaten noodles a few times, but that is also starch and a little meat, and the only added flavor is vinegar. In my spare time, I imagine fantasy menus. Salads from Northstar, Tomato based anything, something spicy with veggies (Ethiopian? Indian? Mexican?).
I should also confess that I have eaten a LOT of food from the 7-11 across the alley from our hotel. It is slightly less greasy than the street vendor food (though similar in starch/meat options), so that is my defense.
Tomorrow, we are heading to Shanghai (chosen because it is slightly warmer than Xian) and I have high hopes for new and improved street food options.
Geesh, it sounds like it’s like eating at Disney World.
I know. I am basically eating the northern Chinese version of hotdogs, chicken nuggets and burgers. Blech.
You should have all of the food options you want there, even Mexican or Indian. I know it is too late, but the art district in Beijing is supposed to have a lot of international fare. I guess the famous Shanghai dumplings are out! LOL Most likely they would burn the hell out of the girls mouths anyway.
Are you heading to China’s famous theme park there? I hear it is pretty cool and still offers a lot of history, quiet areas, and scenery as well.
oh boy! I’m sorry you’re having food troubles. I hope in Shanghai things can be better food-wise. And your post made me really hungry — I went and cooked some rice noodles (the really thin ones)for the boys and I to eat before bed. With mushrooms & egg.
totally, completely understand. what we wouldn’t give for a good burrito or a soup plantation! just because it’s asia, people think we’re eating awesome all the time, but it’s so one note compared to the really diverse place america is. i appreciate HOME so much more all the time. hope the trip to shanghai goes smoothly.
I knew that I would like northern China – bread is my option of choice, always. How long before you head south to the land of rice?
You need to get yourself to Changsha! Best food ever. I could not get enough of the eggplant.
Sorry you’re having the food blahs. Personally, I LOVE Northern Chinese cooking. My husband hates it, it so we always go our own food ways.
Your post made me hungry, but not as much as looking at that web site you pointed us to. I’ve got to learn how to cook some of that stuff.
Happy Trails!
[...] always be healthy is often quite tasty. I would give my right arm to be back in Beijing where the food I found annoying was also only costing us $2-$5 US a [...]
[...] near where you are sightseeing, learn that the only food that is easily accessible to you is unappealing, get food poisoning at least once due to eating at a sketchy restaurant and/or street vendor, get [...]