dining on the streets of beijing has been a memorable experience for us over the course of the last week. for beijingers, dining on the street is a way of life, with vendors selling their specialties around every corner and down ever alley. we have been thrilled with the variety of snacks offered along the streets. skewers, dumplings, baked sweet potatoes, noodle soups, sandwiches, a variety of stuffed and fried breads, pancakes, candies, fruits and popcorn have been available day and night for usually around 3-5 yuan (about 50-70 cents…).
most mornings we eat jianbing, an egg pancake brushed with chiles, hoisin, and filled with rice crackers, scallions and cilantro. usually costing about 3 yuan, jianbing make for a satisfying and cheap way to start the day. scurrying along the streets of beijing in the mornings, everyone seems to have one in their hand.
another great snack are the variety of 'gyro' like sandwiches sold through the city. roasted, chopped chicken or lamb is mixed with shaved cucumber, scallions and hot chiles then stuffed into a round of warm fried bread. the sandwich has a nice balance of hot and cold, from the rostisserie meat, cold, raw vegetables and red chile paste - another great snack for under 5 yuan.
maybe best of all have been the endless varieties of hot soups served on the streets. both spicy noodle soup, laced with red chiles, peanuts and ground pork in a dark rich pork broth or sausage, tofu and tripe stew, again served loaded with chiles and sesame in a dark broth are filling and satisfying as the winter cold is taking over the streets of the city. - david
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