Shanxi Noodles

Noodles in beef broth with cilantro, green onions, and hot pepper sauce.

The noodles are all hand pulled and chopped by Shanxi noodle makers.

Sichuan Place

Thinly sliced lotus root in something that resembles Tang. Or liquidy orange jello.

Some very succulent shrimp that have been cooked in a spicy red broth.

Some very strong little yellow peppers.

Hot Pot

The table setup - boiling soup in the middle, surrounded by meat and vegetables to be cooked in the broth.


Super-thin slices of beef.

Slivers of lamb.

Peanut dipping sauce.

Street Food

Bread stuffed with sauteed green onions and pork, grilled on a flat round griddle.

Din Tai Fung - Shanghai Dim Sum

Siu mai - shrimp and pork dumplings.

More delicate than their Hong Kong cousins, but not quite as tasty.

Xiao long tang bao - Shanghai soup dumplings. The star of the meal.

The wrapper is thin and oh-so-slightly chewy, and the inside is filled with a tiny ball of pork and a spoonful of flavorful soup.

Tang cu pai gu - cold sweet and sour short ribs. Americans love these things.

Sauteed bean sprouts, best eaten with a bit of soy sauce and thinly shredded ginger.

Ban Mu Yuan again

Beef soup with hand-pulled noodles, cilantro, and tomato.

Birthday

The icing skills of Chinese bakers are unparalleled.