restaurant dining in China - a quick guide

Just got back from China - southern Hainan Province for some winter sun, followed by a few days in Shanghai. This place makes Russia look pretty normal!

Hainan is a bit of a tourist trap and the prices reflect that accordingly (but it's still dirt cheap compared with even Russia for food etc). Best prawns, eel and mangos I've ever eaten - seriously out of this world. Fruit salad served with mayo and garlic bread with strawberry jam were some of the weirder things that turned up on my table there. However, it was back in Shanghai that the real fun started.

The food and stuff there are much cheaper than on Hainan, and people are properly friendly despite their lack of English (and in some cases Chinese - the taxi drivers are all peasants and therefore can't always even read Chinese if you want to go somewhere, which is a bit of a nightmare at times). Managed to find an incredible restaurant there, quite by accident as we were actually looking for somewhere western as we were fed up of eating with chopsticks, but Pizza Hut had shut. Very luckily for us as it turned out. They didn't have an English menu to speak of, or even any prices, just pictures and numbers, so as we carried on ordering food we started to get a bit nervous about the final bill, as this was the city centre, but the food and beer were so good that we decided to chance it. Turns out we needn't have worried - six dishes and three large beers came to 14 euros between the two of us! So, we returned there the next night as I'd noticed "spicy salty snake" and thought I'd give it a bash. Arrived and the couple the the table next to us were munching their way though a plate of very tasty looking "shrimps". It was only on closer inspection that we realised that the "shrimps" were actually locusts. Mmmm! Anyway, they must have been good, as even though the couple didn't manage to finish them they took what they had left home in a doggy bag. So, I decided to order the snake (it was a toss-up between this and jellyfish) and the waitress asked who out of me and missue would be comsuming the reptilian treat. I said that it was just for me, but she looked and bit worried and uttered the immortal words "but tonight snake very big". I asked what she meant, as I had assumed it would just be something like cobra fillet or sirloin of black mamba straight out of the deep-freeze. "Come look at snake!" she said enthusiastically "OK" I replied. So, we were taken down some stairs and into a room which just contained loads of fish-tanks full of various seafood (not unusual for China). In the middle of the room, the chef was there, holding a bucket in one hand, and my dinner, still alive in the other. I then understood what the waitress meant by "tonight snake very big". The snake extended for at least a full metre out of the bucket at the head and, and I'd say there was more than that again still coiled up. I was told that the snake would set me back 40 euros - not bad, but of course, how the **** was I going to eat it all on my own? I turned round to enlist Mrs Merde's help but she'd run off. So, the waitress made me a very kind offer - "maybe you can eat half snake?" Unfortunately, this only brought the price down by 10 euros, and there would still have been enough there to feed six people. So, I chickened out, and ordered peking duck instead. Lame I know! But will def go back to the same place, hopefully with a few more people to help me devour hissing sid next time! Fabulous city, and great value for money once you're actually there - stayed in the best hotel I've ever set foot in for 60 quid a night. Expensive by Chinese standards but a snip compared with such places in Europe. If anyone if thinking of making the effort to get out there, it's well worth the effort. I can't recommend it highly enough, and will endeavour to return as soon as my time and finances will allow!

 

Sounds amazing, Paul Merton did a series last year touring around China, and similar food experiences to what you describe.....it's not chicken in black bean sauce and sweet and sour pork!
Did you try the locusts? They showed street vendors doing that and although I will try most foods once I'm not sure I could attempt that......mind you I remember the first time I had squid and I had to close my eyes as I put the tentacles (that's tentacles - not testicles!) in my mouth....now I really like squid.

When are you starting on the book?

 

A good read

But you're a dirty bstard for even considering eating snake. Plain wrong, they're filthy creatures

 

I wonder if Gordon Brown will be served snake!

 

I also watched the Michael Palin series.....

...which was the first time I realised snake was considered somewhat of a delicacy! Always wanted to try it from that moment on, although the establishment we were in was a bit more modern than the one Michael visited - I seem to recall there were just cages full of snakes lying around all over the floor! Gave the locusts a miss as the missus was considering leaving the restaurant just seeing them on the opposite table. I don't think she'd have survived them turning up on ours as well. In fact, I think she'd still be in hospital now.

As for the book - not a whole novel 's worth for China yet! Have actually started on the Russia one, but it's getting time to continue it. A commodity that I don't have a lot of unfortunately. By the way - if you like travel writing, my beach read was Colin Thubron's "In Siberia" - thoroughly recommended, though absolutely heartbreaking at times.

 

RE: I also watched the Michael Palin series.....

Well, I was meaning the Russia book....maybe include a chapter on trips such as China!

 

We are booking flights this weekend for our trip to russia. </p>

It looks like we are flying into st petersburg for a few days, then getting train down to moscow and flying home from there. We are leaving the hotels to gf's dad who is organising it from that end.</p>

We can't apply for visa's until 3 months before we go, and were going to use an agency such as russia direct.</p>

Any tips? Should the visas cause a problem? What about things to look out for or avoid in st petersburg/moscow?</p>

 

Nice read Merde Tete, would love to visit that area in the future. The locusts sound delicious.

 

Yep, using an agency for the visas is the right thing to do. A little extra cost but reduces the hassle tenfold if you've never applied before, as if you apply direct tp the consulate and make a small error on your application form they'll just send it back, with very little in the way of explanation and sometimes no refund.

I'm not an expert on Moscow, but St Pete has a wealth of things to see and do, most of which are dependant on the time of year. When are you coming? Also if you give me an idea of the sort of food you're into I'll let you know which restaurants are worth a bash. There's some great places here and some utter tripe, all of which are similarly priced, so insider info is pretty valuable in this area!

Is your girlfriend's dad working out here then or is she Russian?

 

Heh, all the smaller towns and cities are much more fun and representitive of places. Big cities are often a mish mash of things. Bit like London not being the real England, if you know what I mean.

Reminds me of the wierd street food in India and Malaysia. Deep fried spiders, hmmmmmmmmm :-/

 

Agency reckon they will sort official invitation etc, so we don't have to get docs from hotel which saves hassle as we aren't booking it.</p>

Going first week in july, so hopefully weather should be decent. When are the white nights? Will we be catching the back end of it?</p>

We like any food, and will try owt within reason (no snakes or locusts I reckon!), so any suggestions that you think are the best.</p>

Her dad has been working out there for the last couple of years. Ekaterinburg, and some other smaller city I can't remember name of.
He doesn't really know moscow or st petersburg, although he has visited both but not spent much time there.
</p>

 

OK mate - got to go out now but will drop you a longer PM later, ok?

 

Moscow is interesting but not anywhere near as good as St petersburg

Its a few years since I was there but all the interesting stuff is close together, kremlin, red square, st basils cathederal. 3 days should give you plenty of time to see all the main sites

Unless they have improved the Russian trains are an experience. Can be a lot of fun though if you get chatting to the locals and sharing some vodka

 

Talking st petersburg there is a ferry over from Helsinki isn't there that takes 30min?

I may take advantge of that and visit from Stockholm via there

 

RE: Great Read

Going out there in July

 

RE: Moscow is interesting but not anywhere near as good as St petersburg

Jonny, your giving advice on Russia to someone that lives there ?

 

One man's holiday....

</p>

...is another man's nightmare.</p>

 

No I am giving advice to the person who is going to visit, driver

I just put it in the wrong place

Also Mr merde said he didnt know Moscow that well

 

'fraid you're getting confused!

There WAS a ferry, which took 15 hours, but it doesn't run anymore as no-one used it. Sad, as it was a really nice way to travel, used it once myself. Not sure where you got 30 minutes from though, even the flight takes an hour!