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As one of the three largest snack chains in China, Shaxian snacks are a familiar sight to many. Their popularity nationwide stems from their deliciousness, affordability, and fast service.
After all, in Shaxian snack shops in second- and third-tier cities, a meal costing just over 10 yuan can get you quite a feast. Whether students or office workers, a large portion of them are regular customers of Shaxian snacks.
They say Shaxian snacks have several treasures: stewed pots, wontons, mixed noodles, and steamed dumplings. Every time I go, I always order a basket of steamed dumplings and a small plate of peanut butter for dipping. It's sweet with a hint of bitterness, a perfect combination.
But did you know that the real Shaxian snacks do not include steamed dumplings and clay pots? Shaxian is actually a place!
Sha County, located in Sanming City, Fujian Province, is a small town easily explored on foot. "In Sha County, there are no traditional dishes, only snacks." It's said there are over 240 local snacks, 47 of which are available year-round, scattered throughout the county's streets and alleys.
In Shaxian County, locals will disdainfully tell you: "We don't eat steamed dumplings at all!" I casually searched and compared the menus, and you can feel the difference between Shaxian snacks outside and local snacks:
(National "Shaxian" snack unified menu)
("Shaxian" local snack menu)
Compared with the national unified menu, the local menu does not have the common words "fragrant mixed noodles", let alone a variety of toppings and stews.
However, the "unauthentic" Shaxian snacks have become a snack star in China. In order to adapt to people's eating habits, Shaxian snacks in different places have also launched different menus. For example, when eating Shaxian in Wuhan, you can often see the side dish of braised dried tofu.
So, what are the real Shaxian snacks like in Shaxian?
Last year, I went to Shaxian with some friends. While sitting on the train, I kept emphasizing that there was only one purpose for going to Shaxian - to eat!
As a dedicated foodie team, we've always had a grand plan to eat all the authentic Shaxian snacks in one day! Whenever we'd eat a full meal and walk a bit, someone would always ask, "Have you digested it? Let's move on to the next place."
I collected some information before the trip, and after field investigation, I selected several representative ones. There is a lot of content, so let's talk about them one by one.
Address: Building 3, Jianguo Road
Recommended snacks: flat meat, mixed noodles, steamed buns
Miaomen Flat Meat is a place that foodies must visit when they go to Shaxian. Flat meat is the snack that impressed me the most on this trip.
You might think it's wonton or wonton, but in Shaxian, it's simply called "flat meat." Cooked in broth, it's served in a bowl, with the little guys floating neatly in the broth. Sprinkle with chopped green onions, and enjoy!
The meat filling is different from the ground meat in typical wontons. Instead, it's minced meat, pounded repeatedly with a wooden hammer. In some places, it's also minced using a machine. The wrapper is thin and smooth, perfectly blending with the meat, creating a delightfully crispy and chewy texture. Those with a stronger palate can also try the deep-fried flat meat.
Besides the specialties, there is also the mixed noodles that you can’t miss. There is no difference between the fragrant mixed noodles and the scallion oil mixed noodles, but when you order the mixed noodles, the store will ask if you want to add peanut butter.
The noodles aren't the chain-store dried noodles; they're a chewy, flat type. There's no pickled mustard greens or sour beans, just a small amount of chopped green onions. Remember to mix the peanut butter in quickly, or it'll clump together easily.
You might not expect that tofu meatball soup is also a source of pride for the people of Shaxian. Made primarily of tofu and supplemented with pork, it offers a distinct sourness typical of soy products, with a soft and powdery texture. Even dry noodles are best soothed with this soup.
Address: No. 91 Fuqian Middle Road (next to the square)
Recommended snack: Shaomai
Shaxian Shaomai was recognized as a "Famous Chinese Snack" by the China Cuisine Association in 2009. The most famous one is Chengguan Jialanjia.
Different from the meat-filled siomai in the north and the glutinous rice siomai in the south of the Yangtze River, the filling of Shaxian siomai is a mixture of vermicelli, diced meat and diced bamboo shoots. The skin is extremely thin and will break at the slightest touch!
If you just eat it directly, the taste is bland and nothing special, but when you dip it in the unique soy sauce and chili sauce, it immediately elevates the taste to a higher level, which is very Shaxian.
Address: Ligang Middle Road (near the suspension bridge)
Recommended snacks: Gold wrapped silver, fried rice crackers, beef soup, various fried foods
After crossing the cable bridge, you'll find Fat Sister Snack Shop, directly opposite. Fat Sister is the owner. This shop is popular with locals, offering a wide variety of dishes, perfect for those looking for convenience. Besides the must-try beef soup and golden-wrapped silver, they also offer a selection of other fried items.
The name "Gold Encased in Silver" sounds special, but it is actually a square of tofu hollowed out and stuffed with meat and vegetables. When you take a bite, the juice of the tofu is released. There is nothing more to say, just buy it immediately.
There are no typical stews here. Instead, Shaxian residents often drink beef broth and hot and sour soup. The beef is quite rich, and the soup has a peppery aroma. A hot bowl of it is very satisfying.
Next up is my favorite snack—fried rice crackers. Made from rice flour, they're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Even though they're fried, the all-purpose soy sauce helps cut through the greasiness.
Address: Ligang Middle Road (near the suspension bridge)
Recommended snacks: taro dumplings, duck blood and tofu soup, braised duck head
Not far from Feijie's house is Li Ji, and both shops offer a comprehensive selection of snacks. However, I suggest that unless you have a lot of time, you should avoid eating everything at the same shop, as such shops are generally not as authentic as those that specialize in a particular snack.
The taro dumplings are the shop's signature dish. The wrappers are made from taro and glutinous rice flour, and while they're flavorless on their own, they're surprisingly soft and springy. Filled with bamboo shoots, vegetables, and minced meat, they're only ten yuan a portion. The only downside is that they're incredibly slippery, making them a real challenge for chopstick handling. The fillings themselves are a bit bland for me, requiring extra dipping sauce.
Duck blood and tofu soup is thick like beef soup, but it has a sweet and sour taste.
The braised food sold in Shaxian is not limited to braised duck legs (in fact, even if there are duck legs, the cooking methods vary greatly). The duck legs in chain stores are just ordinary braised duck, while those sold locally are various parts of pressed duck, which are not only fragrant but also have a better taste.
Address: Bancuo Lane
Recommended snacks: rice jelly, red bean and mung bean soup
The area of Bancuo Lane is not clearly located on the map, but it is easy to find. Just walk into the alley next to "Li Ji Snacks".
Rice jelly skin is a popular local snack in summer. Like cold skin, it is a cold food. It is elastic and soft, and its taste and shape are very similar to Chaoshan rice noodle rolls.
The boss took out his special soy sauce and poured it over the rice jelly skin. It was ready in less than 10 seconds. Although the ingredients were simple, the taste was extraordinary. We couldn't help but let out a satisfied "hmm~~~~" when we ate it.
In addition to rice jelly skin, Asu's family also has many desserts and snacks to choose from. I didn't plan to eat too much, but in the end I ordered red bean soup under the aunt's persuasion.
In addition to the rice jelly mentioned above, there are many small stalls and shops in the alley that are well-known to locals.
Guobianhu (pot-side porridge) is a common breakfast and late-night snack in Shaxian County. Rice slurry is poured over the edge of an iron wok and, once formed, scraped into the broth. It's made exactly like our Chaoshan kueh zhi (glutinous rice noodle soup). However, compared to the more bland broth of Guobianhu, I still prefer Chaoshan's braised kueh zhi.
I discovered the taro cakes while walking around the streets. Seeing the locals crowding around the stalls to buy them, I decided to join in the fun. While they don't have a strong taro flavor, they still taste quite unique. The stalls are usually open in the afternoon, so be sure to time your visit accordingly.
There is an alley called "Chiwei Alley" to the east of Bancuo Alley. There are many pancake shops in this area, among which Lao San Pancake, Xianglan Pancake and Luolan Pancake are more famous. They are crispy and fragrant when they are freshly baked.
Xianglanjia is very popular, and most diners buy a large bag at one time to take away. When they arrive at the store, they are told that there are several orders ahead of them, so they have no choice but to miss it.
Continue walking to the end of the alley and you'll see the big sign for Ah Ming/Cheng's Spring Rolls. Although they only sell spring rolls and tofu balls, they often see long lines during festivals.
The spring rolls are thin and fragrant, filled with vermicelli, shredded pork, shredded carrots, etc. They offer two ways to prepare them: steaming them directly or deep-frying them. As I was pregnant and feeling guilty, I chose to steam them.
Having talked so much about food, I would like to introduce Shaxian’s sauce at the end.
I wonder if you are curious about the sauce I mentioned earlier (the black sauce~), which is actually the fermented black bean oil unique to Shaxian.
It's not oil, but soy sauce as a base with other seasonings added in. The taste of soy sauce varies from store to store, and it seems like it's used in everything. I love the taste, and I was so crazy that I even wanted to add it to my mixed noodles, hahaha.
In addition to soy sauce, there is also chili sauce. On the table of Shaxian snacks, in addition to vinegar, there is also a small bottle of chili sauce. Don't underestimate this bottle of chili sauce, it has captured the hearts of many people. (Too many people ask for the recipe online)
Do you think I've been eating non-stop all day? I'm afraid you'd overestimate my appetite. While Shaxian doesn't offer many grand feasts, the snacks are mostly carbohydrate-rich and very filling!
After each store we found, we would arrange some extra “activities” for ourselves.
For example, you can visit the local City God Temple and experience the local arts and crafts.
Or go to the nearby school playground and play games with your friends~
If you still feel the need to consume more (to gain more stomach space), you can walk to a place farther away from the city, where there is a Shaxian Snack Cultural City for tourists.
Because it's located at the exit of a highway, the main visitors are tourists brought in by tour buses during the holidays. When we arrived at lunchtime, this magnificent snack city seemed a little deserted.
Although there are some Shaxian snack shops, I don’t recommend you to go here to eat. For authentic snacks, you still have to go to the streets and alleys to find them.
You would never have thought that such a small county town has built an airport, and has opened routes to and from major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Special air tickets to Sanming can often be seen on China Southern Airlines' membership day.
In addition to the airport, Sanming North Station is also located not far from the county town. After exiting the station, you can take a bus and reach the county town in 15 minutes.
For those who live far away, Shaxian may not be a good enough destination, but if you have the chance to visit Fujian, don't miss this small town. Try the unique flat meat and mixed noodles, and watch the sunset and night view in a small city. Isn't it a way to relax?
