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Xi’an Fusion

Xi’an is an ancient city with a history of over 3,100 years. The great book Record of Grand History describes it as “a boundless golden city, a state of paradise”. It is said that eating in Xi’an is chewing Shanxi’s history, studying Xi’an’s culture, and understanding Xi’an’s customs. Through the long history from the West Zhou Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, the city has gathered the cuisine essence of the whole country; spicy in the east, sour in the west, sweet in the south, and salty in the north.

The Chinese Eight Cuisines don’t include Shanxi cuisine, but it is said that all other regional cuisines are rooted from Shanxi cuisine, just like Shanxi’s Qin Tune is the mother of all other Chinese plays. Shanxi cuisine is not that exquisite and delicate; it emphasizes more on quantity and variety.

Shanxi Jiasan steamed buns and Shanghai small steamed buns are of even quality; Liangpi started its history early, in the Qin Dynasty; red persimmon candy is interesting and tasty; Sanyuan Liaohua Candy was named by Empress Cixi; spicy pasty soup and fried dough twists in oil-tea are usual breakfast of people from Xi’an. Pancake slices with mutton soup is the most famous dish there. There’s a joke in Xi’an: by eating the pancake slices with mutton soup, the poor can boost their prestige and the rich will not lose their dignity. Steamed bread with pork meat is named the “Chinese Hamburger”. To eat a genuine and tasty Chinese Hamburger, Fan Ji is a must visit.

Delicacies in Xi’an are good story tellers. Pancake slices with soup originated in the Tang Dynasty. It was Sun Simiao, a great physician, who led the cuisine to success. The main ingredients are pig organs, so he added some spices and made it much tastier. Chun Fa Sheng , which means early spring, is very good at cooking the dish. The restaurant’s name came from the poem A Good Rain on A Spring Evening by the famous poet Du Fu. The related lines are “A good rain knows its timing, and comes when spring arrives.”

Xi’an Restaurant is a time-honoured place known as a great collector of all the cuisines in Shanxi. Numerous celebrities such as state leaders, generals, and litterateurs used to haunt this place. The words on the restaurant’s signboard were written by Guo Moro. Other than the award winning dishes, what attracts visitors most are its Four Great Feasts: Shanxi Cuisine Feast, Xifu Cuisine Feast, Royal Longevity Feast, and Chang’an Eight Landscapes Feast.

Meihua Restaurant and Wenhao Grain Restaurant are another two nice places. Meihua specializes in delicate south-Shanxi specialties while Wenhao serves you with typical north-Shanxi food. In addition, numerous food stands and night markets scattering over Xi’an have turned the city into a 24 hour cuisine kingdom.

Along the East Street a great number of long lasting restaurants are situated, such as Old Sun’s , Wuyi Restaurant , and De Fa Chang , which is very much famed for its Jiaozi Feast. De Fa Chang’s jiaozi are individually shaped, spirited, stuffed, and flavoured. Fillings range from precious seafood to fruits and vegetables; even wild vegetables can be used as well. Sweet, salty, spicy, and peculiar, try all that you like!

The cuisine of the Hui nationality is another highlight in Xi’an. You can find much of it on the North Beiguang Street and at the Barley Market. Pancake slices with soup, steamed buns in soup and grilled mutton are all exotic cuisines. Famous restaurants include Old Ma’s, Old Liu’s, Old Xu’s and Old Bai’s, among other places. Xi’an is indeed a gourmets’ paradise.

Chun Fa Sheng:
25, Nan Yuan Men, Beilin District, Xi’an, Shanxi Province
029-87263424

Xi’an Restaurant:
298, East Street, Xi’an
029-87216262

De Fa Chang:
3, West Street, Zhong Gu Lou Plaza
029-87214065 87218187

Fan Ji Steamed Bread with Pork Meat:
53, Zhu Ba Shi Street, Beilin District 029-87273917
518, East Street, Beilin Street, Beilin District, 029-87288302
16, Mid Luo Ma Shi Road, Beilin District, 029-87215798

Old Sun’s:
5th Floor, North-west Corner, Duanlv Men, East Street, Beilin District 029-87421858
Gournet Street, North Yan Ta Plaza, 2, Yan Ta Road, Yan Ta District 029-85533855

Wu Yi Restaurant:
351, East Street, Beilin District
029-87681098

Mei Hua Restaurant:
1st-2nd Floor, Yu Yuan International Mansion, 65, Gao Xin District
029-85228005

Wen Hao Grain Restaurant:
Provincial Government Residence Estate, 38, South Tao Yuan Road, Lian Hu District
029-84316666 84316555

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