"To Eat and Drink in GZ"

[tywy_99]

"Travel in Beijing, buy clothes in Shanghai, eat in Guangzhou."

 

This, I am told, is a Chinese saying of sorts loosely translated by my qi zi as we were talking about GZ. Neither of us have ever been to GZ but I am curious about the exotic cuisine that Guangzhou is so famous for. I imagine that it will be a test for my American/Western palate but I have a saying too,... "I'll eat anything that won't eat me first!",...lol. If I can stomach natto(japanese fermented soybeans), I think I can handle just about anything. Forgive my boldness and it might just be that I will find myself running to the nearest McDonalds or KFC but I am willing to try any of the authentic dishes of Guangzhou. I have never been one to run away from a dish but I have never been to GZ either...lol.

The dishes in Shanghai were delicious and we ate nearly every day from the vendors with nothing more to worry about than a healthy "burp"(so much for the Imodium A-D and pepto-bismol tablets...lol.)

Well, we are looking forward to it and I leave the floor open for any comments, debates, and experiences in "To Eat and Drink in GZ", and I close with one more old western saying,... "Eat, Drink and be Merry for Tomorrow you might Die."

 

-Thanks

 

civet cat anyone?

[Mick]

I have often heard this saying about eating in GZ. I have visited that fair city on many occasions. In fact, I lived near there for a number of years. I can safely say that I am not in agreement with the legend that GZ food is great. I find Cantonese style food bland, boring, and generally tasteless. Also, too much fish and seafood, which I loathe. I much prefer the food in Hunan and Sichuan. More spicey, and more alive. Also, food in GZ is generally over-priced. Further, most restuarants charge you for napkins, water, and anything else they can get away with. But, the food is exotic. I have seen monkey brains, monkey balls, bull scrotum soup, cockroach, and new-born mice on the table at various banquets I attended there. Quite a challenge. Enjoy!

[tonado]

I had dim sum in GZ and it is the best.

[tonado]

I have often heard this saying about eating in GZ. I have visited that fair city on many occasions. In fact, I lived near there for a number of years. I can safely say that I am not in agreement with the legend that GZ food is great. I find Cantonese style food bland, boring, and generally tasteless. Also, too much fish and seafood, which I loathe. I much prefer the food in Hunan and Sichuan. More spicey, and more alive. Also, food in GZ is generally over-priced. Further, most restuarants charge you for napkins, water, and anything else they can get away with. But, the food is exotic. I have seen monkey brains, monkey balls, bull scrotum soup, cockroach, and new-born mice on the table at various banquets I attended there. Quite a challenge. Enjoy!

Sorry Nick,

 

Cantonese food has many kind and is the best. I don't care for the exotic but it is not the norm. Hunan and Szechuan are also very good but too spicey, salty and oily. If you have heart problem, they are not good for you. Fish is healthy food and good for you. You should eat more for your health.

[Mick]

I have often heard this saying about eating in GZ. I have visited that fair city on many occasions. In fact, I lived near there for a number of years. I can safely say that I am not in agreement with the legend that GZ food is great. I find Cantonese style food bland, boring, and generally tasteless. Also, too much fish and seafood, which I loathe. I much prefer the food in Hunan and Sichuan. More spicey, and more alive. Also, food in GZ is generally over-priced. Further, most restuarants charge you for napkins, water, and anything else they can get away with. But, the food is exotic. I have seen monkey brains, monkey balls, bull scrotum soup, cockroach, and new-born mice on the table at various banquets I attended there. Quite a challenge. Enjoy!

Sorry Nick,

 

Cantonese food has many kind and is the best. I don't care for the exotic but it is not the norm. Hunan and Szechuan are also very good but too spicey, salty and oily. If you have heart problem, they are not good for you. Fish is healthy food and good for you. You should eat more for your health.

I know fish is healthy Tony and believe me, I have tried to eat it many times and I just can't stand it. I grew up right on the Gulf of Mexico in southwest Florida and fish was plentiful as well as all kinds of seafood. I have tried to develop a taste for it since I was a kid, but I have never been able to stomach it. My complaint about the food in Guangdong is that it all taste the same to me. I lived in the Chaoshan area, which is famous for its food. I really disliked most of it. The Hunan and Sichuan dishes, if prepared right, are not very oily. Li knows how to cook this kind of food without much oil or salt, so it is quite healthy for me as long as I stay away from pork or beef. Eat mostly chicken these days. Also, the food from Anhui was quite good. Also like the food from the northeast as well. But the Cantonese stuff just leaves me cold.

[Mick]

I had dim sum in GZ and it is the best.

Now the dim sum foods, usually served at "Morning Tea" are not too bad so long as they keep the shrimp out of it.

[tonado]

The Hunan and Sichuan dishes, if prepared right, are not very oily. Li knows how to cook this kind of food without much oil or salt, so it is quite healthy for me as long as I stay away from pork or beef.

Home cooking is best.

[warpedbored]

This thread reminds me of something Bing told me Chinese men say.

" live in an american house with a japanese wife and eat chinese food." Now since my ex is japanese I can attest that they are mistaken on that part but the rest of it i might agree with.

Carl

[tywy_99]

Thanks Mick

 

I don't think I want to get quite that "exotic" as cockroaches or baby mice. I was thinking more along the lines of different meats; fish, fowl, reptilian, and such. My wife says they use a lot of salt and sugar in preparing dishes.

Since you mentioned the baby mice, I get this picture in my head of picking one of them baby mice up with a pair of chopsticks and dipping it in soy sauce like a dumpling....lol. I'll never look at jiao zi quite the same again...lol, jus' kidd'n

 

Thanks for all the input guys.

[Mick]

Thanks Mick

 

I don't think I want to get quite that "exotic" as cockroaches or baby mice. I was thinking more along the lines of different meats; fish, fowl, reptilian, and such. My wife says they use a lot of salt and sugar in preparing dishes.

Since you mentioned the baby mice, I get this picture in my head of picking one of them baby mice up with a pair of chopsticks and dipping it in soy sauce like a dumpling....lol. I'll never look at jiao zi quite the same again...lol, jus' kidd'n

 

Thanks for all the input guys.

Actually, the baby mice were served up in a bowl, floating in some sort of sauce, or was it soup, that was kind of a pinkish color. Looked kinda like lumpy Pepto-Bismal.

 

The other diners rushed for them and explained that they were indeed a delicacy. Went on to explain that the mice had to be caught and cooked within twenty-four hours of birth in order to preserve the best flavor.

 

As for the cockroaches, they were served as an appetizer. Yum Yum!

[Guest blsqueaky]

I know that when I was last in GZ, my new nephew told me a story. In GZ, if it grows in or on the ground, comes from the water, or flies, they will find a way to cook it. I will say that every meal that I had there was just great. I did not go for the exoctic, my wife knows me. I know that I did see baby alligator while I was there, but never made it back to the restruant to try it their way.

 

I do remember that my favorite places where those that let you see the food before they prepare it. All of the dishes out front, and if you want seefood, you pick out from the tanks what you want. The same as some places in Shanghai. I now also have a favorite over there, and this is baby clams cooked in a brown sauce that I found just great. Every time we went to dinner after that, my wife always ordered them. Real fun trying to eat these with chop sticks.

[Mick]

Common saying is that, in Guangdong, if its back faces heaven, you can eat it.

[Guest blsqueaky]

Mick, first time to hear that saying. Have to admit tho, they can cook, and what they do with certian items, like the first time that I tried the inside of bamboo shoots, and the different types of mushrooms.

 

Ohhh just reading this post is making me hungry. Time to fly back over.

[Dave G.]

When it comes to Chinese food, I've got my opinion too. Then again, seems I have an opinion about everything.

 

For me, Sichuan rules! Shanghai food was bland. Maybe sometimes sweet or salty but lacked any real taste. Beijing food seemed to be a blend of all kinds of food. Ohhhh...but the Beijing Kaoya (peking duck)! Can't beat that! Damn....now I'm getting hungry.

 

Jing Mei's rule is "try it and if you like it, eat it. If you don't, spit it out on the floor and find something else on the table you do like. Just don't ask what any of it is" Sage advice. I've savored garden snails, rabbit heads, duck tongues, goose intestine, all sorts of bizarre fish, frog, etc. Make it spicey and it all tastes good. Hao La! (Good spicy!!!). Things I won't eat? Anything laden with tons of bones (my mouth doesn't work like theirs) or animal "parts", i.e., esophogus, eyeballs, pig ears, etc. Just can't get past that.

 

Hainan Island has great fish and seafood. Of course, you have to be into that. Nummy...so good! In the North, Harbin's menues include more Russian-like food. Also nummy.

 

Perhaps our new-found likes have much to do with where our Chinese loved ones are from. Survival and fitting in, as it were. Since Jing Mei is from Sichuan, I knew I had to love her foods to be "accepted." But, knowing my own pallet, I know I love hot, spicy food. A perfect match as far as I'm concerned. When everyone at the table eats and has tears falling down their cheeks, we know it is a good meal.

 

Okay...I am now very hungry and miss Sichuan so much. Time to chew on some raw Cheyenne Pepper.

 

[bobmal99]

"Travel in Beijing, buy clothes in Shanghai, eat in Guangzhou."

 

This, I am told, is a Chinese saying of sorts loosely translated by my qi zi as we were talking about GZ. Neither of us have ever been to GZ but I am curious about the exotic cuisine that Guangzhou is so famous for. I imagine that it will be a test for my American/Western palate but I have a saying too,... "I'll eat anything that won't eat me first!",...lol. If I can stomach natto(japanese fermented soybeans), I think I can handle just about anything. Forgive my boldness and it might just be that I will find myself running to the nearest McDonalds or KFC but I am willing to try any of the authentic dishes of Guangzhou. I have never been one to run away from a dish but I have never been to GZ either...lol.

The dishes in Shanghai were delicious and we ate nearly every day from the vendors with nothing more to worry about than a healthy "burp"(so much for the Imodium A-D and pepto-bismol tablets...lol.)

Well, we are looking forward to it and I leave the floor open for any comments, debates, and experiences in "To Eat and Drink in GZ", and I close with one more old western saying,... "Eat, Drink and be Merry for Tomorrow you might Die."

 

-Thanks

 

civet cat anyone?  

I believe the saying was Eat, Drink and be Merry, as I need the money, said the owner of the establishment.!!!!!