When I'm Hungry...

I gotta admit...Chinese food has grown on me. I was never hugely into Chinese in the States--I ate it once in awhile and liked it enough, but I didn't crave it. Most of the Chinese food we eat in the US is derived more from the Cantonese regions. Beijing food is heavier, more meat, less rice, more oil, more noodles. And don't get me started on bullfrogs, fungus, lungs, and whatever else pops up on the menu. But there are a few dishes...


The Golden Tripod has a strange name but delish food. It's way down near Tiananmen so we don't get there too often. You always have to take a number because it's so crowded and we're always the only whities there. We never have any idea what the guy with the microphone is shouting out so every time he says something we send Cameron up to find out if it's our turn. The main floor is lined with fish tanks where you can choose your dinner and people sit and pit sunflower seeds all over the floor. We always get a private room (great because of the noise).


Not everything that's cooked in these babies is good, but I think my odds are definitely improved. Bao zi (steamed buns) and jiao zi (dumplings which I usually prefer pan fried) are so so good. Look at these...so nice on the outside...


So much better on the inside! These are shrimp and chive. No soy sauce in China for dipping--that's vinegar and there's nothing better for a tasty bao zi.







Who'd've thought celery would be a craving food? This is--lightly fried in oil with lily bulbs, it's light and fresh and crispy and sweet and OMG I'm raving over celery, but there it is.



These bad boys are a bit too spicy for me. We usually have another order of noodles that come with fermented bean sauce (don't even get me started on good that is or how strange it is to think that I just wrote that I love fermented bean sauce) and then mix the noodles together. When you see that oily red color on your food, order more beer because baby, it's gonna be HOT.

Bon appetit!