Eating and Drinking, Beijing

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Favorite thing: China has been brewing beer for the past 9,000 years but it was mostly rural stuff and not into the mass produced market but things changed in the 19th century when european powers entered china and established mini colonies and introduced european style beers. Among the beers is Tsingtao Beer, the most popular Beer in China plus a host of other brands such as China Blue Ribbon, Yanjing, Sie-Tang Lio and Zhujiang. A Typical 500 ml beer in china costs 10 RMB and a 355 ml aluminum can will cost 8 RMB in convenience stores while in retaurants and bars triple that price. Chinese beers often contain rice, sorghum and sometimes rye in addition to barley and Alcohol content varies from 3.5% to the strong variety of 7.5%.

Chinese ofted drink beers during meals and are available everywhere! try one now!

Fondest memory: try the different kinds of chinese beer, their a ok!

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Favorite thing: Ok , a lesson, when you say chinese food, it just does mean chinese food but what Chinese Cuisine? ok! Chinese food is not monotonous as there are 16 Basic Chinese Styles of Cuisine like Cantonese, Sichuan, Shandong, Liaoning, Fujian, Hunan, Hainese and Beijing. A Tip, chinese food in Americas and Europe is just Cantonese Cuisine with a little spicy Sichuan in between ok!

Beijing cuisine is an amalgamation of other great chinese cuisines of china and among it's influence are Shandong, liaoning and Sichuan. Beijing Cuisine is basically less on rice and more on dark soy paste, sesame paste, sesame oil, and scallions, and fermented tofu and spices hence you get not stir fried as the cantonese but more Stewed and Spicy and also sour at times. Examples of Beijing Cuisine are Peking Duck, Hot and Sour SOup and Boiled Pork. Since your in Beijing you must try Beijing Cuisine besides the ubiquitous Peking Duck ok!

Ok I Admit, For me Cantonese and Fujian Cuisine are better ok hehehe.

Favorite thing: chines pork sasages are good! they taste sweet and slightly salty and is made up of pork fillings. they are ususally eaten bare, without sauce or hot dog bun and is available everwhere for 4 RMB a piece. eating 2 is very filling and again it is very good so why not buy one and eat it! also great with rice as a meal (well I'm a rice person you see). also good to pair it with lemon drinks.

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Favorite thing: Steamed Buns are a Generic in Asia and every country has it like Banh Bao in Vietnam, Siopao in the Philippines, Kung Pao in Singapore, etc but thie original started here in china and since im more used to the cantonese variety of stewed pork and dumpling fillings that are sweet, i have to try the Beijing variety and it has more kinds of fillings like spicy vegetables, spicy dried fish and spicy pork fillings. delicious and it costs 1 RMB each (very cheap!) but i still prefer the sweet cantonese variety w/ is similar to the philippine siopao.

Favorite thing: like in other countries, Beijing has it's share of vending machines and they are everywhere. they sell mostly liquid stuff like bottled water, softdrinks, juices like peach or lemon or orange and others. Cost if stuff in vending machines are about 6 RMB for a 355 ml bottle of Soft drink, 7 RMB for a bottle of Lemon Juice, 6 RMB for a Bottle of Local Mineral Water and 8 RMB for an aluminum can of Local coffee. they only accept small bills like 1 RMB, 5 RMB and coins. Very convenient and sometimes more cheaper then convenience stores!

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Favorite thing: like what I've said, buying softdrinks here is more cheaper than buying bottled water since prices of softdrinks like coke or sprite are equal or cheaper than bottled water, depending on where you buy. Usually a 355 ml aluminum can of softdrinks cost 2 RMB in Supermarkets and 5 RMB in Convenience Stores and 10-12 RMB in Tourist Areas or Restaurants while a 1.5 ml bottle costs 6 RMB in supermarkets, 12-14 RMB in Tourist Areas and 15-20 RMB in restaurants and Bars. but as everyone knows, softdrinks packs lots of calories!

Favorite thing: Off course, when touring other countries, it is best to buy bottled water whether it is mineral water, purified water or spring water and in beijing it is no different eh. A Bottle of Mineral water here varies on where you buy it. if from convenience stores, it's about 5 RMB and on Restaurants about 8-10 RMB and on Restaurants and tourist sites, About 1 RMB at Supermarkets for a 500 cc bottle. (note the price disparities). 1 liter or above is about 2 RMB in Supermarkets, 10 RMB in Tourist Areas and 8 RMB in Convenience stores and 15 RMB in Bars and Restaurants. Softdrinks are cheaper! since beijing imports it's water from nearby provinces since it has a limited supply.

Favorite thing: Once only served to the Emperors, now the recipes of Imperial food can be served in restaurants in Beijing. We had ours on a tour at the Summer Palace.

The imperial yellow covered chairs beckoned us. Every dish was beautifully decorated. Some in the form of phoenix, fish, birds, etc. Quantity of each dish is small, it is the creativity and variety and pleasing of the eyes and the multitude of choices.

Previously I have heard of two day banquet to complete the menu. We were there for only an hour before continuing our tour.