The food in china is delicious. Most of us were pretty bad with chopsticks at first.
The first week was entertaining because we got more food on our clothes than in our mouths, but after the initial shock it didn't take long to get used to them.
Many of the meals in China were family style:
The dishes are placed on a turntable, and everyone shares the meal.
You usually have your own small plate or bowl of rice so you aren't all eating off the same plates.
Another style of eating is hotpot. There is a boiling pot of broth in the middle of the table, that is usually split into a spicy and non-spicy side. You are served raw meat and vegetables and cook them yourself. Our group didn't really like to put that much effort into our meals, so we only had hotpot 3 or 4 times.
ON/NEAR CAMPUSPepsi Place
One of the easiest areas to eat a quick meal on campus was the Pepsi Place. When leaving the office building, go left and take the first left you come to. Some of our favorite places to eat here were:
Mom And Pops
This is the first place on the corner at pepsi place. They have a great tofu dish that looks like garbage but tastes delicious.
The owner loved giving us free soup, chain smoking, and punting stray cats.
The Dumpling Place
The only restaurant at pepsi place with an orange sign. All they serve are pan-fried dumplings, boiled dumplings, and wontons.
You can get a plate of 20 dumplings for only 8 RMB. This was a favorite of several REUers.
The Donkey Restaurant
This place is across the street from pepsi place. It doesn't look amazing, but the chunks of donkey are.
Cold Cafeteria
The name is self-explanatory: It's a cafeteria, and the food is cold, but it's very cheap and doesn't require a student card like most cafeterias.
It's also the closest place to the office to eat, so go here if you're short on time.
However, if you do have time to kill, go to the small restaurant attached to this place, because it took them an hour and a half to serve us.
NEAR THE APARTMENT
Smack of Liji New Menu
We tried to find out what this name means, but all we understood was that it was owned by some guy named Li. He must have been very proud of his new menu, because he incorporated it into the name of his restaurant. Very clever. This place has some good hot pot, but the dishes are loaded with Li's secret ingredient: MSG.
Seaside Family Cooking
This place has lots of fresh seafood when you walk in. If you order the dishes from the display case, expect to pay 30RMB.
This restaurant has dumplings made by a 'dumpling master' so of course they are delicious.
TRUST-MART AREA
Skinny Girl
This place has some very good looking duck which, for some reason, we never tried.
However, they have a picture menu and good food that is about 20 RMB per dish.
Moslem Restaurant
If you're tired of chinese food and don't want american fast food, go here.
The dishes are a little smaller and more expensive than chinese food, but it's good for a change of pace.
NORTH GATE
There are a few good restaurants at north gate. Ask Hayley Shen about the pancake place. Also, there is a stand near the graduate student's apartments that sells cheap fried rice. Beware of the noodle place that has the worst noodles I've ever had. It's small and they have a big menu on the wall on the left when you walk in.
DOWNTOWN
Downtown has a nearly unlimited amount of family-owned businesses. If you go to New-Mart, avoid the food court because it's impossible to find a seat and you must purchase a card. The fast-food places in China are kept very clean, and are in better condition than the ones in America.
They usually taste and cost the same as in America. The soft-serve at these places was great and cost 3RMB.
