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Hengdian's cuisine is rich and varied because of the presence of crews from numerous film crews and tourists from all over the world. Unique flavors from all over the world can be tasted in Hengdian: the ramen restaurants and meat pie shops loved by locals, the pot shops from Jinhua, the authentic Beijing shabu-shabu mutton from the Old Beijing Restaurant, the Northwest's flavor big plate chicken, the smoked meat and dumpling restaurants from the Northeast, the Sichuan restaurants, the Shaxian snacks from Fujian, the hand-pulled pancakes from Taiwan, as well as the many barbecue restaurants that the crews love to visit, and the most lively night market food stalls at night.
Dongyang's native chicken hotpot is delicious, with crispy, tender chicken. It appears whole when you open your chopsticks, but the meat falls apart at the slightest touch. Many restaurants offer it, but for the authentic dish, head to a farmer's house, where it's classic, using a black pottery jar placed in a large iron pot with three tiles placed underneath.
This is a dish that Dongyang people eat the most. It is made by pickling mustard greens, then chopping them into small pieces and drying them in the sun. It is very delicious when cooked with meat.
Zezi tofu is a summer delicacy. The acorn-like fruit of the Lithospermum tree is ground into a fine powder, soaked in water, and filtered several times to remove the astringency. After blending, the mixture is poured into a pot of boiling water until it becomes a paste. The mixture is then served and cooled to form a tender, brown cake. To eat, cut it into diamond-shaped pieces and add sugar, rice vinegar, and cold water for a refreshing and delicious dish.
Shredded radish pancakes are a popular snack in Hengdian. Not only are they loved by locals, but many celebrities also buy them in bulk. The most famous shop selling shredded radish pancakes in Hengdian is located on Wansheng South Street at Sanxi Bridgehead, and many celebrities frequent them. Shredded radish pancakes are wrapped in a pancake wrapper and then placed in a stove. The sweet and delicious shredded radish pancakes are ready. See below for restaurant recommendations - Jinhua Crisp Cake Shop
For gourmet food lovers, even a hodgepodge can be delicious with care and just the right amount of heat. "Dongyang Wo Noodles," also known as "爊面," is now a staple dish at banquets in Jinhua. While the traditional "mixing leftovers with rice to make a noodle paste" remains, it now incorporates homemade sweet potato starch for easier digestion.
In Dongyang, steamed buns with braised pork are a must-have dish at grand banquets. The buns are round, with a flat bottom and a rounded, convex surface. For happy occasions, the convex surface is printed with the characters "Happy" and "Longevity" in red. Each person receives one. The braised pork is made with cooked meat cut into triangular pieces, weighing between 300 and 500 grams (approximately 200 grams), with larger pieces being more prestigious. The braised pork is then pan-fried until crispy and tender. Two pieces are served per person. To eat: break the bun open and fill it with the braised pork, similar to the roujiamo (Chinese roujiamo) rice dish in northern China – it's oily but not greasy.
In Dongyang, Shanglu wontons are renowned. Hailing from Shanglu, Dongyang, these wontons are known for their thin skin, tender filling, and fragrant broth. Near Hengdian Central Primary School on Yixue Road in Hengdian Town, there's a shop called "Authentic Shanglu Wontons." This small shop, with only about ten tables for four, isn't particularly impressive, but at mealtime, diners flock from all over just to enjoy a bowl of Shanglu wontons. Wontons are often accompanied by erjiao, which is often eaten together with the wontons.
Nanma meat pie, essentially a minced meat pie, is a famous Dongyang snack. There are several of them on West Medical Road near Dacheng Xiaochu, and they're all long-established establishments. Peter Ho also enjoyed them while filming in Hengdian.
When you're enjoying yourself enough to not want to dine out, the scenic area restaurants are a must-have, offering you the convenience of a truly thoughtful experience. Even more remarkable is the fact that the architecture of these restaurants seamlessly blends in with the scenic area, making dining as engaging as the day itself. The Wanshengxing Hotel, located within the Dream Valley scenic area, offers a restaurant filled with soft Wu dialect Pingtan (Chinese storytelling) performances. There's also Balabala Food City, offering a variety of snacks. There's also Yangliu'an, featuring Song Dynasty-style farmhouse dishes inspired by the Qingming Riverside Scene. Tianxia Restaurant, built in the Qin Dynasty style at the gates of the Qin Palace, is also located. And, near the Guangzhou Street and Hong Kong Street scenic area, Zhujiang Fishing Village specializes in fish and various Cantonese dishes.
If you enjoy fine dining in an elegant and comfortable hotel, the VIP Hotel, known for hosting numerous celebrities, is a great choice. Here, you'll find the Dongyang local dishes favored by Jackie Chan, the red lobsters favored by Tony Leung, and the celery and lily bulbs favored by Carina Lau. And who knows, you might even find a celebrity dining with you! Hengdian also boasts the iconic "Twin Towers" Tourism Building, the 1,200-seat International Trade Building (18 Kangzhuang South Street), and the Movie Star Hotel (77 Yixue Road), which hosts seasonal food festivals. These are all excellent options for your Hengdian trip.
If you enjoy street food, there are even more options. Recommended streets: Wansheng Street and Kangzhuang Road.
Wansheng Street:
Wansheng Street, which is less than a kilometer long, is home to delicious food from different regions of China. There are also popular ramen restaurants and meat pie shops in Hengdian, as well as Jinhua's Baozhuang, authentic Beijing shabu-shabu mutton in Lao Beijing Restaurant, Northwest-style big plate chicken, smoked meat and dumpling restaurants in Northeast China, Sichuan restaurants, Fujian's Shaxian snacks, and Taiwan's hand-pulled pancakes. There are also Hong Kong-style tea restaurants such as Dacheng Xiaochu (the oldest Hong Kong-style tea restaurant in Hengdian, well-known to locals, 51 Baxian Street), Dongtian (owned by Hong Kong art director Lin Zechi, Baxian Street, Hengdian), Lazai Mala Xiangguo (owned by Hong Kong makeup artist Zeng Minghui, 193 Wansheng South Street), Hama Chi Conveyor Belt Sushi (owned by movie star Michelle Ye, 47 Baxian Street, 0579-86551122), and many barbecue restaurants favored by film crews, such as the well-known Lao Song BBQ (181 Wansheng South Street, 13625895598). At night, there is the bustling night market food stalls (next to the Tourism Building).
Kangzhuang Road:
It is a gathering place for food that has developed in recent years. Most of the stores are luxuriously decorated and have elegant environments, such as Impression Jiangnan (No. 228, Kangzhuang South Street, 0579-86566577), Macau Doulao (Seafood Hotpot, No. 153, Kangzhuang South Street, 0579-86587777), Pangzi Hotpot (No. 82, Kangzhuang North Street, 0579-86552817), Dajixiang Restaurant (No. 6-8, Dongci Road, Hengdian, 0579-86555179), Rongyi Youth Club (No. 8, Jinling Street, Nei, 288 Kangzhuang South Road, near the Ming and Qing Folk House Expo City), etc.
But there's one thing they all have in common: photos of celebrities who've frequented the establishments are adorned on the walls. You might even be dining when a celebrity you recognize walks in and orders food.