One Dish, Two Dish, Fried Fish, What's in this Dish?

by Roaming Panda

I know what you're thinking, "all these posts with you in Asia and I haven't seen a single post about food, what gives?" Half of our trip was completely devoted to eating. We ate no less than 3 meals a day and most meals were family style/pile-em-up food overload. I tried to document every meal I ate but after even the second day, I knew this was going to be an impossible task. If it wasn't for the long days of walking in the heat, I would have came back to the states with a lot more carry-on luggage if you catch my drift. 

The food in Hong Kong, Beijing, and all the other cities we visited was absolutely incredible. I don't think I had anything that was bad. Some dishes certainly stood out more than others. Here's my pick of the top 5 food items I had while I was there (in no particular order): 
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1. Under the Bridge Spicy Crab

I'm a huge seafood fan and prior to my trip, I watched quite a few videos on places to eat throughout Hong Kong. One such video led me to Under the Bridge Spicy Crab in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Giant crabs are cooked and smothered in fried garlic and spices for an explosion of flavors in your mouth. These crabs are monsterous yet the meat is so sweet and succulent.. The surprise dish here was the prawns cooked/fried in salted egg yolk. Sounds weird but it's such a sweet and salty combination of flavors that is just to die for. A must try. ​

​2. Hong Kong "Cha Chaan Teng" Style Breakfast

Think of these as hole-in-the-wall, East-meets-West style diners. You can come in and get a cup of coffee and toast or you can get a bowl of wonton noodles. I've never been a huge fan of bagels and cereal for breakfast, give me a bowl of hot instant ramen noodles with ham or sausage and that's exactly what you can get here. Hong Kong style French toast is amazing. Take 2 slices of white bread, put some peanut butter in the middle, fry the whole thing, and throw a square a butter of top with some syrup...oh man. You're in for a treat. ​

3. Soup Dumplings at Din Tai Fung - Shanghai

I've had soup dumplings before, but I didn't really have soup dumplings till I had them at Din Tai Fung in Shanghai. Din Tai Fung is world renowned for their famous soup dumplings and even have franchises in the states. The outer skin of the dumplings are the perfect vehicle to house the sweet and savory soups waiting for you with each bite. The dumplings come in a variety of flavors and proteins. I found the crab assortment to be my favorite. The soup is hot so make sure you don't just try to down it in one bite, unless you enjoy burning your mouth. 

​4. Gooey Egg Tarts

Egg tarts are a running childhood favorite of mine. Egg tarts are part of a balanced dim sum diet and can be found in most Chinese-style bakeries. Crispy/flaky pastry crust is filled with sweet and creamy egg filling for a treat fit for anytime of day. I've had a lot of egg tarts in my day but this one was by far the best. I wanted to find the best egg tart shop in Hong Kong but unfortunately, time did not allow for it. I had to settle for a chain restaurant inside a mall but my god was this egg tart good.  Throw in a plate of crispy roast pork and I'm good. 

5. Peking Duck at Quanjude

If you've never had duck before, you need to give it a go. It is rich in delicious fatty goodness. The Chinese glaze and crisp the skin for added flavor and texture. Peking duck takes the roast duck game to a whole new level. The best parts of the duck are carved and served with a thin pancake, cucumbers, scallions, and hoisin sauce. Sauces and condiments will vary with every restaurant but the concept is the same. The idea is to use the pancake to roll the duck, and your desired toppings into a mini-burrito for consumption. You can find some places in the states that will serve Peking duck but it's not the same as having a chef carve it for you table-side in Beijing. A must try if you get the chance.  

This list is not inclusive of everything I ate, these were just my favorite dishes from the trip. There was so much more to eat and not nearly enough time. I could spend another 2 weeks doing nothing but eating. If you want to check out all the other dishes I devoured on the trip, check out the Food Porn Vol. 1 gallery.