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Dai cuisine holds a unique reputation within Yunnan cuisine. Xishuangbanna, home to the Dai ethnic group, primarily features glutinous rice, sour flavors, roasted meats, and seafood. Wild cultivated plants are often used as spices, resulting in a distinctive flavor profile characterized by sour, bitter, and spicy notes. Grilling is a common method of preparing Dai cuisine. Fried moss, pineapple rice, and stinky vegetables are all local specialties. A visit to Xishuangbanna is a must-try; otherwise, it's a shame.
A must-try dish in Dai cuisine, this grilled fish is particularly fragrant. Made with fresh lemongrass, the fish is tied with it and then grilled. This is a delicacy that can only be found in Dai settlements.
Nami is a Dai word that means sauce in Chinese. Nami is usually eaten with some fried food, and the taste will be even better if it is added with a local sour fruit.
Fried cowhide is a dish that must be paired with Nami. Its preparation is meticulously crafted. Buffalo hide, cleaned and scraped, is cooked in a pot, then cut into small pieces and dried. To serve, the hide is deep-fried in oil until it bubbles and turns yellow, then removed and served. Dipping it in Nami, it offers a refreshingly sour, spicy flavor that will whet your appetite.
A Dai specialty dish made with pickled bamboo shoots, usually cooked in a pot with chicken or fish. The dish is characterized by its sour and spicy taste.
Luosuo is a Dai word, meaning rice cake in Chinese. Made from glutinous rice, peanuts, sesame seeds, and brown sugar, it's a Dai sweet snack sold by locals on the streets and especially popular with those with a sweet tooth.
It is a kind of rice that is placed in a bamboo tube and baked over fire, so it is also called bamboo tube rice.
Generally speaking, it's a meat dish (raw meat is minced) mixed with specially prepared ingredients. The main dishes include beef sapie, pork sapie (called "sadalu" in the Dai language), and fish sapie (called "basa" in the Dai language). Sapie's preparation requires meticulous knife skills, fresh ingredients, and a comprehensive range of seasonings, making it a time-consuming and labor-intensive dish. It's also known for its heat-clearing, detoxifying, spleen-strengthening, and appetite-stimulating properties, making it a top choice for Dai entertaining guests.
The Dai people have many ways to cook stinky vegetables, including cooking them with tomatoes, cooking them with bitter bamboo shoots, cooking them with fried eggs, and cooking them with fish.
A relatively authentic local Thai restaurant that mainly provides a variety of Thai dishes. We recommend Thai soy milk, Tom Yum Goong soup, and chicken rice.
Address: No. 193, Manjinglan, Manting Road, Jinghong City (opposite Zhongyu Hotel, near Menglong Road)
Contact: 0691-2161758
Average spending per person: 50 yuan
The decoration of the store is very unique and exotic. Recommended dishes include sleeping coconut, chicken oil rice, pounded cucumber, Burmese fried rice, and Paruda.
Address: C93-94, Shawan International Commercial Plaza, Donglu Pedestrian Street, Jinghong City
Contact: 0691-2130350, 8981886
Average spending per person: 20 yuan
The restaurant is a courtyard-style restaurant with a unique wooden house. It serves authentic Dai cuisine, with a wide variety of dishes and generous portions. Recommended dishes include the Dai-style stir-fried beef with sour bamboo shoots, fried bamboo worms, mixed vegetable soup, and pineapple rice.
Address: No. 3 Menghai Road, South Border Crossing Line, Jinghong City (near the New Bridge)
Contact: 0691-678490
Average spending per person: 20 yuan
This is a relatively authentic Burmese restaurant that serves Burmese snacks and Dai-style barbecue at affordable prices. The taro rolls, natto, banana labada, and paruda are all very good.
Address: No. 5A-15-16, Jinlu Pedestrian Street, Hong City (near Jinlu Pedestrian Street parking lot)
Contact: 0691-2141640
Average spending per person: 38 yuan
The night market is close to the Lancang River. There are many bars and restaurants nearby. The night scenery is beautiful. You can see the night view of Jinghong while strolling along the river.
Address: Binjiang Avenue, Jinghong City
Transportation: You can take a taxi
The best place to eat Dai-style barbecue. There are many barbecue stalls here, and barbecues of various ingredients and flavors are sure to satisfy your appetite.
Address: Menghai Road, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna (near Manting Park)
Transportation: You can take a taxi
There are many specialty restaurants in the Damanmo area where you can eat authentic local dishes, and it is also very lively at night.
Address: Xuanwei Avenue, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna (near Menghai Road)
Transportation: You can take a taxi