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Being a land of culinary delights, and bordering the renowned culinary provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou, Yunnan's cuisine often seems to be somewhat overshadowed. When most people from other provinces think of Yunnan cuisine, the nationwide "cross-the-bridge rice noodles" and the recent surge in popularity of wild mushrooms, often depicted as "little people," come to mind. However, Yunnan's culinary offerings are far more diverse than we realize.
Yunnan's diverse terrain nurtures a diverse array of ingredients, with wild produce unmatched elsewhere. The diverse customs, cultures, and lifestyles of its diverse ethnic groups have led to distinct cooking methods and culinary preferences. Bordering Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Tibet, and other provinces, as well as Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, Yunnan's diverse cuisines often exhibit distinct styles and flavors, each influenced by the other to form the all-encompassing "Yunnan flavor." Even a small corner of this vast province's southeastern corner is enough to offer a feast of delicious delights.
Over nine days, we drove about 1,000 kilometers across the fertile land of southeastern Yunnan, passing through nine cities: Kunming, Mile, Mengzi, Hekou, Jianshui, Yuanyang, Honghe, Shiping, and Yuxi.
I glance back at the breathtaking rainbow clouds and devour the remaining rice noodle soup at the bottom of my bowl. A free spirit leaps from the tip of my tongue, eager to begin recounting this graceful journey across my taste buds. The aroma of food from afar becomes a guidepost for my soul, tirelessly guiding my steps forward. Sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty—the ultimate flavors can be found in southeastern Yunnan.
The provincial capital's crisscrossing overpasses sometimes have several levels, and it's easy to drive in the wrong direction if you're not careful. This city is huge and all-encompassing, with ancient archways and modern skyscrapers standing side by side. Here alone, you can taste the delicacies of almost all parts of Yunnan Province.
Wild mushrooms, rice noodles, flower cakes, and many other traditional Kunming flavors piece together bits and pieces of my experience in Kunming.
Kunmingcheck the details
Kunming, known as the "City of Spring," is the capital of Yunnan Province, nestled in the central Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It serves as China's gateway to Southeast and South Asia and is a nationally recognized historical and cultural city. Like any large city, it boasts extensive transportation links and towering skyscrapers, yet boasts a more relaxed atmosphere, with flowers blooming year-round, resembling a vast urban garden. The city boasts numerous scenic spots, skillfully integrating urban and natural beauty. Of course, Kunming's culinary offerings are also a major draw for visitors, with Yunnan rice noodles captivating countless visitors. Beyond its stunning scenery, the local customs and culture are a splendid treasure of Yunnan's red soil. Kunming's diverse population of ethnic minorities contributes to its diverse folk culture, allowing visitors to experience the pristine heritage of its people.
Recommended months: March to May, December to February
5196 recommendations, 4730 visits
Mushrooms are edible fungi like mushrooms. They are little elves that grow in the mountains and forests. July to September every year is the rainy season in Yunnan, and it is also the season when mushrooms grow in large quantities.
In the moist soil of the mountains, mushrooms grow one by one, each shaped like a small house. People in Yunnan call picking mushrooms "picking", which shows how many there are.
Mushrooms have been a delicacy since ancient times. The Book of Songs states, "There are hazelnuts in the mountains, and ling in the marshes." Ling, also known as Poria cocos, is a type of fungus. Today, during the rainy season, fresh wild mushrooms like Alpinia arborescens, Boletus edulis, and Bersilla strumarium appear on Yunnan's dining tables, whether used in soups, stir-fries, or simply cooked, their delicious flavor is unparalleled.
After the base of the local chicken soup boils, add all the mushrooms at once and simmer in the pot for nearly 20 minutes, anxiously waiting for the timer to return to zero bit by bit - many mushrooms are poisonous before they are fully cooked, so it is strictly forbidden to eat them before the countdown ends.
Making soup is the most natural way to enjoy mushrooms. The abundant fat in chicken broth prevents the heat from evaporating, allowing the mushroom's aroma to fully emerge and blend into the broth. First, pour a bowl of the broth, and the heat lingers for a long time. Gently sip, the umami flavor arrives as expected, but without being overpowering, just a subtle touch from the tip of the tongue. After a few seconds, it gradually overwhelms the taste buds, leaving you with a light and airy feeling. After a few sips, this umami flavor permeates your entire body, flowing through your internal organs.
Unlike seafood, which possesses a strong sense of taste, the aroma of mushrooms is graceful, soft, and indifferent to the world. After it arrives, it's as if the sense of taste has been rebooted, and the body is filled with a long-lasting aftertaste.
I asked the waiter in the store to help me prepare a bowl of the most authentic dipping sauce, rolled the steaming mushrooms in the oily dipping sauce and put them into my mouth. Each mushroom has a different taste: bamboo fungus and matsutake are relatively tender, with a loose and porous texture, which absorbs more soup, and the soup will fill my mouth while chewing; black boletus and milk mushrooms have a slightly rough texture, are chewy and taste very meaty.
With full of curiosity, my first meal in Yunnan was to try the mushroom called Jianshouqing, which is said to be able to "see villains".
The term "indigo" refers to a group of boletus mushrooms that develop an indigo-blue coloration upon injury. If eaten improperly, they can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and even hallucinations. However, in a proper restaurant and through proper cooking methods, most of these mushrooms are no longer toxic.
The most delicious way to cook this type of mushrooms is to use plenty of oil, add dried chilies, garlic slices and sliced mushrooms and stir-fry until there is almost no moisture in the mushrooms and they are fully cooked. The dry and chewy mushrooms have the dry aroma of chilies and garlic, and the more you eat them, the more delicious they become.
The slightly oversized dumplings were filled with a generous filling, with tiny pieces of matsutake visible among the filling. The aroma of the matsutake, blending with the meat, was unobtrusive yet unobtrusive, adding a subtle, unusual fragrance to the otherwise plain meat filling.
Tips:
[Restaurant Information] Yimen Congshan Wild Mushroom House · Zhajing Traditional Hotpot
With over a century of history, Jianxinyuan is one of Kunming's few "time-honored Chinese brands." Its origins date back to the late Qing Dynasty, when the Qing government abolished the 1,300-year-old imperial examination system. Scholars, once known for their academic excellence, were forced to find alternatives. Among them, three Kunming students, inspired by the Guizhou Changwang noodles recipe, launched Kunming's first Changwang rice noodles, which quickly became a huge hit. Later, adapting to local dietary habits, Jianxinyuan eliminated the "fat intestine cap" and replaced it with a "Cuiwang rice noodles" dish featuring crispy scallions, Yunnan-style cold white pork slices, and five-spice tofu, topped with blood curd. This has since become the signature dish of this century-old restaurant.
The long-established Jianxinyuan restaurant on Baoshan Street still sees long lines every day. Due to lack of space inside, many people simply sit on the small stools at the entrance and eat their rice noodles.
A bowl of crispy blood curd rice noodles doesn't initially impress. The broth is the usual rich, cross-bridge rice noodle broth, and the noodles are also smooth and smooth. The only thing that really makes the noodles stand out is the generously prepared ingredients. Chunks of blood curd fill a corner of the bowl, the tofu skin is the thin, tough Shiping tofu, and the crispy, broth-absorbing tofu skin is deep-fried. The heart of the noodles is the dense, fragrant, non-spicy red oil atop.
Perhaps it's the limited perspective of an outsider lacking a sense of local flavor. No matter how you look at it, it's just a bowl of ordinary rice noodles with rich ingredients. The more ordinary, the longer it lasts. This is probably the survival principle of a bowl of rice noodles.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Jianxinyuan Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles
When buying a souvenir for friends in Kunming, the top choice is flower cakes. Yunnan has a long history of eating flowers, and flower cakes are one of them.
In the past, the concept of flower cakes was limited to the traditional rose cakes. But when I visited a store, I discovered that there are so many different flower cakes: rose cakes, jasmine cakes, and small cakes based on flowers with cheese, yogurt, lemon, raisins, and other ingredients...
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Ka Wah Flower Cake
Mile City, which is more than 130 kilometers away from Kunming, is most famous for its Maitreya Buddha and the amazing Maitreya braised chicken.
For the most authentic braised chicken rice noodles, head to the city's suburban town of Zhuyuan. A smoky, dusty gravel road leads to the heart of the town. Occasionally, women in headscarves hawk snacks and fruit along the streets. Dense treetops obscure shop signs, leaving only the faintest glimpse of the two words that appear most often: braised chicken.
Maitreyacheck the details
Mile City is a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is located in southeastern Yunnan Province and northern Honghe Prefecture. It serves as the northern gateway to Honghe Prefecture, 316 kilometers south of the national open port of Hekou. The city boasts excellent transportation links, with the Kunming-Hekou Highway running through the city for 93 kilometers, the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway spanning 78 kilometers along the western border, and the G80 Guangzhou-Kunming Expressway and the Nanning-Kunming High-Speed Railway passenger line passing through it. In January 2013, with the approval of the State Council and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Mile County was abolished and Mile City, a county-level city, was established. It is directly administered by Yunnan Province and administered by Honghe Prefecture. The Municipal People's Government is located in Miyang Town. As of the end of 2012, Mile City governed 10 towns and 2 townships, with a total population of 527,767.
3924 recommendations, 3527 visits
In front of every household, steam is rising from a broth made from dozens of Chinese herbs. Over the years, new ingredients have been added to the broth, giving off a long-lasting aroma like aged wine.
A 1-kilogram young rooster, freshly crowed, is carefully prepared and placed whole in a broth. When the time is up, the whole chicken emerges from the pot, golden in color, exuding the aroma of the blended meat and herbs. Every morning, these braised chickens are piled prominently in front of every shop, becoming the shining golden signboards of every household on the streets of Zhuyuan Town.
In the streets and alleys, large and small braised chicken shops sell braised chicken/braised chicken offal while boiling water on a stove. They add the braised chicken broth to the blanched rice noodles/rolls and then put a few pieces of braised chicken on top. This is the locals' favorite street food - braised chicken rice noodles/rolls.
The dark marinade is salty and delicious, and the chicken is tender and fragrant with the unique aroma of the marinade. The combination with the homemade chili oil further enhances the rich and lingering flavor. The thinly sliced chicken is distinctly shredded, yet neither tough nor woody, with just the right amount of tenderness.
The rice noodles are smooth and the rice rolls are flexible, making it difficult to tell which one is more delicious. But in comparison, the rice rolls undoubtedly contain more soup, bringing more of the essence of the braised chicken into your mouth.
The guide recommends two nearby restaurants, each with a different marinade recipe, resulting in distinct broths and chicken textures. The one on the right, Baocimei Braised Chicken Roll Noodles, has a lighter broth and tender, firm chicken, generally embracing the lighter side. The one on the left, Yangshusheng Braised Chicken, has a stronger broth thanks to the addition of Sichuan peppercorns, and the chicken is a bit woodier, generally embracing the heavier side. It's hard to tell which is better, so I recommend trying both, starting on the right and then the left, from lighter to heavier.
Tips:
[Restaurant Information] Baocimei Braised Chicken Noodle Roll, Yangshusheng Braised Chicken
Mengzi isn't a large city, but it's clean and tidy. Its streets appear spacious compared to its size, lending it a sense of grandeur. Nestled in a corner of the city lies the picturesque South Lake, where pavilions and towers retain their original appearance. The stone arch bridge, the inspiration for the legendary "Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles," still stands above the lake.
Mengzicheck the details
Mengzi City is a county-level city in the eastern part of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and is also the prefecture's capital. It borders Wenshan City to the east, Pingbian Miao Autonomous County to the south, Gejiu City to the west, and Kaiyuan City to the north. Mengzi City boasts a long history and was once Yunnan Province's largest port for foreign trade during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. It is the birthplace of cross-bridge rice noodles and a pomegranate town in China, forged over 700 years. It also boasts my country's largest silver mine. Tourist attractions in Mengzi include Nanhu Lake, Bisezhai, the Mengzi Concession Site, the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the former site of the Mengzi branch of Southwest Associated University, and the Mengzi 10,000-acre pomegranate orchard.
6667 recommendations, 4915 visits
An article once said that the rice noodles consumed by Yunnan people in a year could weave enough sweaters for the Earth. Rice noodles, with a long history, were first recorded in the Northern Dynasty's "Qimin Yaoshu" (Essential Techniques for the People). Over the centuries, they have evolved into various forms and cooking methods. Among Yunnan's many rice noodle recipes, Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles remains the most representative.
The boiling chicken soup is served. While it's still hot, add the ingredients in the order of "first come, then cook": first the quail egg yolk, then add the meat and fish slices to the egg white, mix well, and add to the soup. Finally, add the garnishes such as leeks and tofu skin, and the rice noodles. Top with chrysanthemum flowers, cilantro, and chopped green onions. And just like that, a bowl of "Chrysanthemum Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles" is created.
In the eyes of local gourmets, a bowl of "presentable" cross-bridge rice noodles must have good soup, good ingredients, and good rice noodles.
The broth is simmered for six to seven hours using ingredients like free-range chicken, old duck, shank bones, and Xuanwei ham bones. After straining, the broth is clear and fragrant. The ingredients should be seasonal, ensuring a balanced mix of meat and vegetables that doesn't clash with each other's flavors. The rice noodles must be fermented, a traditional Yunnan specialty. They retain the aroma of rice while having tiny pores inside that allow them to absorb the broth better.
The thick layer of fat on the chicken soup looks rich and tempting. Scooping a spoonful of soup to your mouth, the soup is clear but not bland, refreshing yet delicious. This is probably the most exquisite part of this chicken soup.
I picked up a few strands of rice noodles, and found a few chrysanthemum petals still adorning them, a visual delight. The chrysanthemum flavor wasn't overly strong, and upon asking, I learned that the chrysanthemums were added to neutralize the heat of the chicken broth, making it less prone to getting a sore throat in the summer. Furthermore, the chrysanthemums enriched the visual experience, adding the finishing touch to a bowl of rice noodles that captured both form and spirit.
Tips:
[Restaurant Information] Hongxinyuan Chrysanthemum Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles
Someone on the Internet recommended that the pork trotter rice noodles not far from the Xin'an toll station are the best in Mengzi. Please note that this restaurant is closed in the afternoon.
Inside the glass window, you can choose from golden pig's feet, fried pork skin, crispy pork, pork tenderloin, egg dumplings, etc. If you are not following the locals in front, it would be really difficult to make a decision.
Bowls of rice noodles and vermicelli rolls are placed to the side, and you can choose your own at no extra charge. The rice noodles are traditional white, while the vermicelli rolls may be made with red rice, giving them a pleasant pink hue. If you prefer a chewier texture, you can simply add the vermicelli to your broth and enjoy. If you prefer a softer texture, you can blanch it in the boiling water nearby before eating.
The pig's feet are fried and then braised, cut into pieces of appropriate size, neither too soft nor too hard, with a crispy and fragrant texture. They are not as greasy and sticky as normal stewed pig's feet, so you don't have to worry about getting sick of them even if you eat a few more.
Unlike Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles, the pork bone broth here has been skimmed of oil, leaving only the essence of the bone broth, which is refreshing and rich. After being immersed in the broth, the tiny holes on the meat, which have been deep-fried over high heat, eagerly absorb the moisture. With one bite, the broth overflows, and the aroma of the meat is fragrant.
Be sure to add a few drops of homemade chili oil. The chili oil mixed with the aroma of the soup will bring you a refreshing feeling early in the morning.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Yangji Jiaheyuan
If you want to experience the city's lively atmosphere, go to a late-night barbecue stall. In the city late at night, the most undisputed thing is the aroma and taste of barbecue with the city's characteristics.
Barbeque restaurants here almost never have menus. All ingredients are skewered and placed in the refrigerator, and diners can choose their own.
Every restaurant has its own specialty—Wacheng Roast Chicken's signature dish is roasted black-bone chicken. Every part of the chicken—wings, tips, skin, head, liver, even rack—is transformed into a magical delicacy in the owner's oven.
While waiting for the boss to be busy, I popped in next door. The two restaurants have a close relationship, allowing customers to order from one and have it delivered to the other. The neighboring restaurant, Jinping Mengla BBQ Restaurant, specializes in Mengla Dai-style fare. Walking in, I saw the owner wrapping minced meat in a green leaf like origami, stringing them together one by one and grilling them over a fire until the leaf wilts. This is actually a Dai specialty—meat wrapped in fragrant leaves. These leaves, called haoyaolao in Dai, come from the Piperaceae family and have a naturally fragrant aroma. They're usually wrapped in leaves, then fried or grilled, and served with the leaves, creating an indescribably delicious and fragrant dish.
The Dai, Hani, and other ethnic groups enjoy using banana flowers in their cooking. Wash and chop the yellow, tubular flowers, marinate with seasonings, and then place them in banana leaves and heat thoroughly over a fire. The banana flowers have a soft, glutinous texture, resembling the appearance and texture of perfectly cooked chopped green onions. However, chewing them carefully reveals a subtle banana aroma and a slightly sweet aftertaste.
Perhaps due to the black-bone chicken's skin color, the skewers looked unremarkable, even a bit burnt. However, they were crispy and fragrant, and the chicken meat was chewy. The skin, in particular, was grilled like a thin sheet of paper, with no hint of fat. The accompanying chili sauce was incredibly fiery, and when it came to spicy food, the southwestern provinces were unmatched.
Passion fruit lemon chicken feet have the unique sweet and sour refreshing flavor of Yunnan, which soothes the heat of barbecue and chili.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】 Jinping Mengla BBQ Restaurant, Wacheng Roast Chicken
Every region has its own unique summer dessert: sour plum soup from old Beijing, Madiel popsicles from Harbin, and brown sugar ice jelly from Sichuan. But in Yunnan, the top choice is papaya cold water.
Wrap papaya seeds in gauze and rub them in water until a sticky liquid forms. After letting it sit, it forms a solid, jelly-like substance. The crystal-like jelly, lifted with a trembling wooden stick, trembles and reflects the summer sunlight. Add brown sugar water and ice, and it brings a refreshing sweetness to those who have already had enough wine and food in the scorching summer heat of the plateau.
Across the river is the old street market of Vietnam. The buildings on both sides of the exotic street remind people that this place is very close to Vietnam.
Once upon a time, every morning when the border opened, hordes of Vietnamese women arrived from across the river, carrying Vietnamese goods and food, selling them in the streets and alleys of this county town. Tour groups from China, wearing matching T-shirts or identical baseball caps, led by local guides, would cross the river on this side of the river to experience the exotic customs of Vietnam's Old Street.
In the face of the pandemic, all of this has come to a screeching halt. The border is deserted, save for soldiers standing guard and a few groups of tourists taking photos. There are no Vietnamese women, no tour groups. The once bustling town has suddenly become quiet.
Tucked away in a small alleyway in the heart of the city, this Vietnamese rice noodle shop is a veritable internet sensation in Hekou. Most people who've been to Hekou have heard of it. Its lack of a sign and nondescript location are both mysterious enough to draw visitors in.
This is a husband-and-wife shop, the husband is Chinese and the wife is Vietnamese.
There are two fillings, mushroom and pork, or scallion and pork, and the options are limited. Each one costs 2 yuan. The rice noodle wrapper is steamed in a thin layer, picked up with a long chopstick, and then coated with the filling. The wrapper is then rolled up with the chopsticks. The whole process takes only a few seconds, and within a few minutes, the rice noodle wrapper is piled high.
You need to prepare the dipping sauce yourself: the owner of the store has already prepared the sauce with fish sauce, soy sauce, etc., and you can add coriander, chili peppers, and lemon juice according to your taste. This bowl of dipping sauce is the finishing touch of a seemingly ordinary piece of rice noodle rolls.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Street Garden Vietnamese Rolled Noodles
There are several excellent Yunnan-Vietnam cuisine restaurants on the exotic street near the port. The restaurant's view is above the river, and on a clear day, you can see Vietnam across the river.
Most of the waiters are Vietnamese and speak Chinese fluently. The dishes are a fusion of Yunnan and Vietnamese flavors, and can only be found in this area.
Vietnamese spring rolls are like deep-fried Vietnamese spring rolls, cut into small pieces and fried to a golden and crispy texture. They're a delicious bite-sized treat. Filled with minced meat, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and vermicelli, they're a traditional "Chinese" recipe.
The old milk potato and papaya flower scrambled eggs are both worth trying. Finely chopped potatoes cooked with chili peppers, onions and garlic become a perfect accompaniment to rice.
Papaya flowers spread in omelets make the eggs instantly refreshing, and the slightly bitter taste of the flowers is unexpected.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Doudou House
Jianshui Ancient City exudes a majestic power. Entering through the city gate, the road beneath your feet suddenly transforms into a series of long and short stone slabs. You pass through a series of imposing stone archways and past clusters of shop signs. One intersection connects to many others, and one alley ends in another.
On both sides of the main road, you can imagine the "commercial prosperity" with your eyes closed: shops selling tea, purple clay, Hanfu, and ethnic-style ornaments have now become standard in all ancient cities.
Climbing up to the third-floor corridor of the inn, one roof after another stretched into the distance. The tiles of several ancient buildings stood out among the relatively new houses.
Outside the city, the West Gate area still retains the original atmosphere of life: narrow, difficult-to-navigate alleys, shabby-looking old houses, rows of power lines, and countless "Steamed Tofu" signs dividing the sky.
Jianshuicheck the details
Jianshui County is one of the counties under the jurisdiction of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. Located on the north bank of the Red River in southern Yunnan Province, the county covers an area of 3,789 square kilometers and is home to ethnic minorities including Han, Yi, Hui, Hani, Dai, and Miao. In 2010, the county's population was 531,500. In 2012, Jianshui County achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 8.96 billion yuan. In 1988, Jianshui was approved by the State Council as an open county, and in 1994, it was designated a Famous Historical and Cultural City and a Key Scenic Spot in China.
3293 recommendations, 2116 visits
Tofu stalls can be found in every street and alley of Jianshui. A round or rectangular iron tray sits atop a traditional local cooking utensil—a fire pit. Pieces of tofu, lightly coated with oil, are grilled on top. The owner sits on one side of the fire pit, fanning the flames with one hand while deftly turning the tofu with a pair of long chopsticks in the other. Diners gather around the stove, scooping up a cooked piece with their chopsticks, dipping it in chili sauce, and popping it into their mouths. The stall owner, with one free hand, drops a kernel of corn or soybean into a small jar in front of the diners, counting the cost. The clang of the tofu dropping into the jar and the occasional sizzling of the charcoal fire create a harmonious symphony at the tofu stall.
The grilled tofu here is usually small, one-inch cubes. The white tofu is placed on the grill, where the heat gradually turns it yellow and hardens on the outside, while the inside gradually expands into a small ball. A small bite into the tofu is met with a burst of steam. Beneath the slightly crispy exterior, the inside remains soft and glutinous, with a rich bean aroma. Dip it in a little dipping sauce, and the tofu's loose pores absorb the sauce, creating a rich, flavorful, and long-lasting taste.
The Yunnan people cherish Jianshui's tofu, primarily due to the quality of the water used to make it. Ancient wells have become a common sight in Jianshui's ancient city, often clustered together, their walls deeply scarred by years of rope pulling. The most famous is the Ximen Daban Well, also known as the "Pu Bo Spring." Its water is clear and sweet, perfect for drinking, making tea, and making tofu. To this day, this well remains the primary source of drinking water for local residents, and you can often see elderly men, each carrying two large buckets, winding their way through the alleys, returning with their full loads.
Near this well, numerous tofu-making workshops using well water have sprung up. The buildings, with their dilapidated eaves and dimly lit hallways, sometimes lack even signs or shop names. But inside, you'll find a different world: a massive machine nestled in the center, each family member, young and old, each at work, churning out a steady stream of tofu blocks.
Occupying Dabanjing's prime location, Banjing Tofu Shop has become one of the largest tofu shops in the area. The rich aroma of tofu greets you upon entering. The tofu-making room is located on the first floor. Climbing the worn wooden steps up to the second floor, you'll find a buffet of tofu snacks for 5 yuan per person.
The soy milk, tofu pudding, and firm tofu are all freshly made that day and served piping hot. Enjoy the rich, fragrant soy milk, the tender and smooth tofu pudding, the thick, fragrant firm tofu... and ask the aunt to prepare a bowl of authentic chili dipping sauce.
The shop also offers fried tofu and fried bean curd sheets. The sliced tofu is dried and then fried, giving it a flavorful, almost lard-like texture. A table full of these "tofu feasts" awaits, so sit down and enjoy them slowly.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Ibanjing Tofu Shop
Mr. Wang Zengqi once said, "Chinese people are very good at eating chicken. There are salt chicken from Guangdong, strange-flavor chicken from Sichuan, beggar chicken from Changshu, fried eight pieces from Shandong, Dong'an chicken from Hunan, and braised chicken from Dezhou... If all kinds of chicken cooked in different ways across the country were to hold a grand prix, which kind of chicken would win the gold medal? I think it should be Kunming's steam pot chicken." With Mr. Wang's words, steam pot chicken became a must-try dish on a trip to Yunnan.
At first glance, the Lin'an Hotel in the ancient city looks like an old hotel that is famous but occupied by tourists. The thing it lacks the least is reputation.
The steam pot chicken here is said to be made using the most labor-intensive traditional method. It is cooked in the morning and sold at noon until sold out.
I bought a ticket at the main gate, queued up at the designated window to get my food, and dragged a small steamer shakily on a tray back to my seat. The aroma had already rushed into my nose.
It's said that the essence of "steamed chicken" lies in steaming. The chicken and other ingredients are placed in a steamer with a small hole in the center. A stockpot filled with water is placed underneath. The steam is used to cook the chicken until cooked, and the remaining moisture in the steamer is the essence of the dish—the chicken broth. Unlike stewed chicken broth, steamed chicken broth is clear beneath the rich fat, offering a rich, fragrant, and delicious flavor. Even the ginger slices absorb the essence, becoming flavorful.
Confucius said, "I never tire of fine food, and I never tire of delicate minced meat." Every sip of the clear chicken soup in the purple clay pot is the essence of a long journey.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Lin'an Hotel
Not only can it be eaten with hot soup, but in traditional Yunnan banquets, cold rice noodles are one of the first dishes.
Thin, dry rice noodles are tossed with bean sprouts, chives, chili oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and other seasonings, then quickly served and mixed. Each thin strand, perfectly straight and smothered in the vibrant color of the sauce, looks incredibly appealing. Picked up with chopsticks, the noodles playfully slip through the chopsticks, making eating them both an enjoyable and challenging endeavor.
Just squat beside the tofu stall with the locals, slurping rice noodles into your mouth and picking up a piece of steaming hot grilled tofu when your hands are free.
The hotness of the tofu and the heat of the chili peppers roll back and forth on the tip of your tongue, making it impossible to close your mouth. Then you take a bite of cold rice noodles to calm your nerves. This is the exclusive joy of "eating" for Jianshui people.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Lin'an Hotel
Grass sprouts are available in early spring. They are white and tender, with a special fragrance that comes from water. At first glance, they taste very similar to the umami of oyster mushrooms.
Grass sprouts are actually the "cattail" mentioned in the Book of Songs. Eating grass sprouts has been practiced since ancient times. However, due to their high environmental requirements, limited production areas, and difficulty in storage, they are often consumed primarily within Yunnan Province. Locals typically stir-fry grass sprouts with meat, which not only removes the fishy smell of the meat but also enhances the aroma of the grass sprouts with the fat from the meat.
The blue-headed mushroom is probably the most common type of mushroom in the forests of Yunnan.
The cap is a light green, with a hint of green still visible even after being cooked. The mushroom has a plump, tender texture, and the fibers exude a refreshing mountain aroma. Adding plenty of oil and stir-frying with chili peppers and celery, the flavors of the ingredients complement each other beautifully.
Baoxinglou, a time-honored brand in Jianshui, is located in a beautiful old house with a patio. Walking out of the back door, you will see a very romantic street.
The steamed tofu dumplings were still steaming, the pure white balls, round and plump, drenched in broth, looking incredibly adorable. Although they were made with tofu and meat, the addition of small chopped peanuts gave them a slightly granular texture, adding a fresh and richer flavor.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Bao Xing Building
Jianshui's barbecue restaurants are all centered around tofu stalls. From early morning until late at night, the charcoal fire in the hearth never dies down, and the auntie's long chopsticks constantly flip the tofu, constantly adding new pieces to the grill. As one group of diners finishes and leaves, a new group takes their place, picking up chopsticks, mixing dipping sauce, and picking up tofu—the whole process is seamless.
In terms of barbecue style, Jianshui's barbecue seems to be unique: roasted grass sprouts are "regionally limited" and are most common in Jianshui. Every part of the pig is fully utilized - pork belly, pig skin, pork stalks... brushed with special sauce and sprinkled with chili powder, it is fragrant and spicy.
The grilled zucchini is particularly impressive: sliced thickly, grilled over a fire until tender, then smeared with sauce and served with a paprika dip. The texture is similar to zucchini, yet different: bland yet with a crisp, fragrant flavor that's irresistible.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Lao Qujiang Renhe BBQ
Breakfast at the B&B was at the "Garden Snacks" outside the Zhu Family Garden in the ancient city. There were only two options: Changwang Rice Noodles and Sanxian Rice Noodles, both of which were the shop's signature dishes.
The restaurant prepares the broth, and customers serve their own rice noodles, a tradition that seems to have become a local norm. Two bowls of rice noodles, one strong and one light, seem to cover all diners' preferences.
The large intestines were cleanly prepared, and the blood curd wasn't a regular cube, allowing it to hold more broth and add flavor. The broth, though thick with a layer of red oil, was fragrant and not spicy, making it quite tourist-friendly. The crispy pork in the three-fresh rice noodles was the star of the show. The chicken broth was refreshing, and the gaps in the crispy pork soaked up the broth, creating a crispy and fragrant dish.
After a bowl of rice noodles, I felt refreshed. A group of young girls in traditional Hani costumes walked by, their smiles seeming to capture all the warmth and beauty of the ancient city's morning light.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Garden Snacks
The drive from Jianshui to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces was a bit of a surprise. Less than 100 kilometers, it's a winding mountain road, mostly unrepaired gravel, with trucks constantly following us. The sharp turns are one after another... The nearly four-hour journey was incredibly tense, leaving me completely unable to appreciate the scenery.
When we finally stopped the car and looked out, we saw rolling green hills, and the emerald green rice paddies, divided into neatly arranged shapes, stretched out layer by layer into the distance. The rice paddies and the sky seemed very close, getting closer and closer as the distance extended, finally embracing each other at the end of our sight.
The terraced fields follow the mountain's topography, varying in size and height. The rice fields appear as smooth and silky as velvet from afar. Nestled between the mountains and valleys, the fields follow the natural order of nature, as if meticulously carved by divine hands into a magnificent work of art.
The Eagle's Beak Rice Terraces are a wild, undeveloped viewing platform. Park your vehicle on a gravel platform by the roadside and descend a few steps made of rubble to a fenced-off viewing platform with an uneven surface that juts outward like an eagle's beak.
Looking down at the terraced fields from a high vantage point, the scene becomes even more breathtaking, with village houses dotted among them. Thick clouds approach at a visible speed, seemingly lurking in the embrace of the surroundings, only to lose their morning pride and dignity under the gradually warming sunlight.
Yuanyang Rice Terracescheck the details
The terraced fields cultivated by the Yuanyang Hani people follow the terrain, adapting to local conditions. Large fields are cultivated on gently sloping land, smaller fields on steeper slopes, and even in rocky crevices along ditches and under banked slopes. As a result, terraces range from several mu to as small as a winnowing basket, often encompassing tens of thousands of mu on a single slope. The Yuanyang Rice Terraces are vast and magnificent, stretching across the entire Red River's south bank, encompassing Honghe, Yuanyang, Luchun, and Jinping counties. Yuanyang County alone boasts 170,000 mu of terraced fields, making it the core area of the Red River Hani Rice Terraces.
3718 recommendations, 3004 visits
Dipping sauce is a condiment used to dip food in southwestern China. The word "dip" vividly describes the process of dipping food, imbuing it with a completely different flavor after a brief dip. The term originates from the ancient Chinese word "齑," which refers to a blend of pounded ginger, garlic, chives, and other condiments, a staple in Yunnan dipping sauce today.
The highlight of the Hani ethnic group's traditional delicacy, dipping sauce chicken, lies in the dipping sauce itself. Every region, every ethnic group, and even every family has its own unique dipping sauce recipe, and chili peppers are the universal ingredient.
Chop the chili peppers, coriander, garlic, etc. and put them into a bowl. Then take out the eggs, chicken offal, and chicken blood cooked with the chicken, chop them into small pieces and throw them into the bowl. The last step is the most critical one - pour a large spoonful of chicken soup. In an instant, the aroma of chicken soup mixed with the aroma of various auxiliary ingredients spreads. The original soup becomes the original food, and the deliciousness is sublimated in the pouring and dipping.
Yunnan chickens are seemingly all "athletes." Free-range chickens raised in the mountains year-round have an exceptionally firm and chewy texture. Even after cooking, the skin remains intact, and the shimmering sheen is particularly eye-catching. Because of their low fat content, you won't feel greasy even if you eat a lot.
The simple combination of poached chicken and dipping sauce preserves the chicken's unpretentious aroma. Living in the mountains, returning to nature with this food, one cannot help but be grateful for nature's most primal gift to humanity.
After eating lemongrass fried pork ribs for two consecutive days, my friends who were traveling with me immediately rated it as their top 1 favorite food of the trip.
The ribs seemed to have been first cooked with spices, leaving them juicy inside, before being repeatedly deep-fried with lemongrass until crispy. When you bite into them, they're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a golden, crispy exterior that reveals a juicy interior, completely untouched by the intense heat of the frying pan and becoming shrunken and stiff.
Many family restaurants in the terraced fields area are deserted during the off-season, but this one is nearly always full every night. The restaurant's name comes from the traditional fire pit, a tool used by the Hani people to make fire.
This method, which is commonly used in Yunnan, opened a new chapter in the earliest humans' improvement of their living environment: heating, making tea, and processing food all depended on the fire pit. The family sat together and enjoyed the cooked food, which was the favorite eating method of Hani families.
The night in the mountains is exceptionally quiet, save for the lights still shining brightly in the shop, and the sound of conversation drifting through the pitch-black night. It feels as if I am one of them, sitting with the Hani people around a steaming fire, roasting food and drinking tea, enjoying the simplicity and richness of the mountains.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Hani Fire Pond
When I ordered food at the restaurant entrance, the girl said that the bamboo shoots here can be eaten raw and are sweet.
At first glance, the white cross-section of the bamboo shoots is still shiny. When you bite it, it feels crisp and refreshing, with a somewhat timid freshness. After chewing it carefully for a few times, you can actually taste a sweet aftertaste.
The bamboo shoots are stir-fried in the pan with a bit of steam, and a little salt is added to force out the moisture, making them look more mature and mellow. The white plate of bamboo shoots looks quite ordinary, with a crisp texture but not amazing. However, the more you chew, the sweeter the aftertaste becomes.
The Hani people's stir-fried beef is made with minced beef cut into small pieces, stir-fried with mint leaves, Sichuan peppers and chili peppers. The chili peppers have the fragrance of mint leaves. The Hani people are indeed good at using various herbs to create unique and delicious flavors.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Huawowo Hani Toast Dish
Shiping Ancient City offers a distinctly different atmosphere from any other ancient city I've encountered. Within the city walls, smooth and spacious stone pavements connect the age-old houses in all directions. The mottled bricks, faded wooden beams, and plaques inscribed in ancient scripts remain. Even as the land behind it gradually grows taller buildings, the ancient city remains firmly entwined with the earth, gathering and precipitating the power of time, brewing a timeless fragrance.
Shipingcheck the details
Shiping County is one of the counties under the jurisdiction of Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is located in the south of Yunnan Province and the northwest of Honghe Prefecture. As of 2014, Shiping County governed seven towns and two townships, covering an area of 3,037 square kilometers, 94.6% of which is mountainous. It is a traditionally agricultural county. In 2008, Shiping County had a population of 300,300, with ethnic minorities comprising over 50%. In 2010, Shiping County's GDP reached 2.676 billion yuan. Major tourist attractions in Shiping County include Shiping Xiushan Mountain and Yilong Lake. Shiping County is known as a "famous place for literature," "hometown of citrus fruits," "hometown of bayberries," "hometown of fish and rice," "hometown of tofu," and "hometown of song and dance."
5967 recommendations, 5412 visits
Yilong Lake, located adjacent to Shiping County, is my country's southernmost plateau freshwater lake. Wherever there is a lake, there are fish. Along the lake's edge, fish restaurants are densely packed. Each family has its own small pond. They select a fish, scoop it up, quickly slaughter it, bleed it, and chop it into large pieces. When served, the fish remains a pristine, shimmering white. Once the water boils, add it to the pot. Within minutes, the fish is so tender that it separates completely from the bones with a simple flick.
The dipping sauce is strong but doesn't overpower the freshness of the fish; the more you eat, the more delicious and spicy it becomes. Vegetables and tofu are served at each table, with refills available at any time. The most impressive part is the small shiitake mushrooms at the bottom of the pot, the fish broth permeating the crevices of their caps. A bite into them, and the juices overflow, creating another delightful culinary experience.
If hot pot is too monotonous, the restaurant also offers salt and pepper hotpot or braised fish fillets. These take a long time, but the taste isn't quite what you'd expect. It's a good option for trying something new, but not for satisfying your cravings.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Longjing Fish Restaurant
Yunnan people are really good at eating spicy food. The barbecue in Shiping is so good that even I, who claim to love spicy food, can only be defeated.
Historically, due to the scarcity of salt, it was common in the southwest to substitute other seasonings for salt. Historical records include the use of wood ash, acid, chili peppers, and nitrate. Yunnan people have a long-standing love for spicy food.
The braised ingredients have a subtle spicy flavor. After grilling, they're brushed with chili sauce while still hot. As if not quite satisfied, they sprinkle a generous layer of chili powder on top. When they plop it into their mouths while still hot, the burning sensation of the chili peppers is amplified by the heat, exploding like an atomic bomb in their mouths. The burning, tearing sensation hits, and for a moment, I wonder if I've swallowed a fireball? Or maybe a knife?
In a corner of the lobby, there was free warm soy milk, and I suddenly understood the owner's good intentions. Luckily, the grilled squash was a refreshing change, with chili powder placed separately for dipping to your taste, creating a crisp texture with a delicate fragrance. Otherwise, facing this table of passionate barbecue, I'm afraid I would have cried.
The small, live shrimp from the reservoir are particularly suitable for making drunken shrimp. The bowl is covered, and many shrimp are still struggling... At first glance, it looks cruel and bloody, but once you put it into your mouth, you can see the shrimp meat is as chewy and plump as jelly, peeling away from the shell, and the rich sauce envelops the shrimp. As you suck it, the fresh and fragrant taste fills your mouth with joy.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Friends BBQ
Soy milk and fried dough sticks are a standard for all Chinese breakfasts, and Yunnan is no exception.
Freshly cooked glutinous rice, sticky and glutinous, soaks in soy milk. The soy milk dissolves the previously clumped rice, loosening it up into a chewy texture that's no longer difficult to chew, and enveloping it in the aroma of soy beans. After finishing a hot bowl, I feel like beads of sweat are seeping through my body, leaving me feeling refreshed.
The sauerkraut beef rice noodles here are made with Hani red rice. They are extremely soft and tender, lacking the chewiness of ordinary rice noodles, but they can never go wrong with any soup base or toppings.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Ximen Canteen
Chill the sweet liquor in the refrigerator, add fresh milk, and mix it. The taste is sweet and smooth, with a hint of fermented rice aroma in the sweet milk aroma. No matter how many times I drink it, this taste always amazes me.
The rice from the sweet liquor settles at the bottom, some of it still has ice chips on it, which is sweet and refreshing, adding a richer taste to the sweet milk.
With Fuxian Lake on one side and Hongta Mountain at the other, this city is a truly blessed feng shui location. Renowned musician Nie Er was born here, and tributes to this great figure can be found throughout the city: the Nie Er Museum, Nie Er Park, and painted sculptures depicting the national anthem scattered throughout the park... This city, blessed with outstanding people and beautiful scenery, nurtures and commemorates great souls in its own way. Every journey ultimately amounts to a spiritual journey, and savoring delicious food ultimately nourishes the soul.
Yuxicheck the details
Yuxi City is located in central Yunnan Province, with coordinates between 23°19′ and 24°53′ north latitude and 101°16′ and 103°09′ east longitude. It borders the provincial capital, Kunming, to the north, Pu'er City to the southwest, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture to the southeast, and Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture to the northwest. It has a total area of 15,285 square kilometers and a population of 2.3 million (2010). The city is divided into two municipal districts, five counties, and three autonomous counties, with its administrative seat in Hongta District. The terrain is complex, with high elevations in the northwest and low elevations in the southeast, encompassing a mosaic of mountains, canyons, plateaus, and basins. Yuxi City is known as the "granary of central Yunnan" and the "hometown of Yunnan tobacco" for its high grain yields and high-quality tobacco leaves.
6870 recommendations, 5367 visits
It's said that Yunnan's earliest rice noodles likely originated in Qingdui Village in the northern part of Yuxi. Initially, they were simple rice strips. During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, a villager discovered the delicious taste of fermented rice strips and, through processing, created the earliest "rice noodles." This process gradually evolved into a complete rice noodle-making process. This spread throughout Yunnan, where locals adapted their techniques to their specific circumstances, giving rise to a diverse rice noodle culture with distinct flavors across the province.
In Yuxi, you can find eel rice noodles, clay pot rice noodles, tofu rice noodles, mixed sauce rice noodles, braised meat rice noodles, pork trotter rice noodles, and more. If you were to name a famous Yuxi delicacy, eel rice noodles would definitely be on the list.
Sauté the eel in hot oil, add various seasonings and pork bone broth, and let the sauce thicken to create the "hat." Boil the rice noodles, add the bone broth, and then cover them with the "hat." Add mint, chives, and cilantro, and you're done!
The eel is fresh, tender, and not overcooked, while the rice noodles are soft but not limp, with a hint of fermented sourness. The textures and ingredients are perfectly balanced. Only in Yunnan can any rice noodle dish instantly and completely captivate your taste buds.
Tips:
Dingji Tianjian Eel Rice Noodles
Soy sauce chicken is the signature dish of this restaurant, and it is a must-order for almost every table. The boiled chicken is soaked in a sauce made with soy sauce, chili and other ingredients. Before you even put it in your mouth, you will be attracted by the tempting color and can't take your eyes off it.
The skin of the chicken, treated to a seductive golden hue, seemed to have absorbed all the energy of the fat. The chicken was tender, the skin smooth, and the soy sauce coating it was fragrant, not spicy, and rich with the aroma of chili peppers. After a few quick chews, it slid down my throat with a gulp, without a second thought.
I initially thought the stir-fried mixed mushrooms were a mix of many different types of mushrooms. But when they arrived, I realized there was only one type of mushroom. Then I realized it was called "mixed mushrooms."
The outer skin is slightly reddish, while the interior is a pure, milky white. Stir-fried in rich oil, the mushrooms are coated in a shimmering layer of fat. A mouthful of freshness and fragrance fills the air. After trying Yunnan mushrooms, I realized that the mushrooms I'd eaten before were truly just "mushrooms."
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Hongyuan Hotel
If I hadn't looked carefully, I'd have almost missed the sign. I walked through the unassuming, shabby door on the old street, passed through a narrow corridor barely wide enough for one person, and finally entered the old shop. Inside, there's a century-old well, and many of the dishes are still made with water from it.
A base of brown sugar water is added to chilled glutinous rice porridge, topped with crushed ice, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, peanuts, various dried fruits, and rose jam. This is Chef Guo's signature dish, "Rose Ice Porridge."
Today, the porridge production is taken over by his son, but the environment and taste remain the same. This old shop stands by the ancient well, bringing a touch of sweet coolness to tourists coming and going.
Tips:
【Restaurant Information】Master Guo’s Iced Rice Porridge
At the entrance on one side, there is a whole row of snack stalls: crispy and satisfying-looking pork belly roasted bait blocks, cool and fragrant bagged Thai milk tea, Dai-style mixed mango that is rarely seen elsewhere in Yunnan, and beef jerky that needs to be placed on a tree stump and hammered with a wooden hammer until soft before being torn apart... Many authentic Yunnan delicacies can be found here.
At the other exit of Xiaomiao Street, the yellow-green sign for Daijia Suanduoli stands out prominently. By evening, many of the dishes are sold out, demonstrating just how popular this spicy and sour snack is among the locals.
This stretch of snack street in downtown Yuxi is actually comprised of several adjacent streets: Xiaomiao Street, Renmin Road, and Xinxing Road. Every evening, the area is so bustling with activity that people practically rub shoulders with one another. Unlike Xiaomiao Street, where many everyday mobile phone shops operate, Renmin Road and Xinxing Road are home to time-honored restaurants, push-cart food stalls, and affordable clothing stores. Many delicious foods are hidden amidst this bustle.
Hongji Cold Rice Noodles, a long-established eatery on Snack Street, features pea jelly as one of its signature dishes. Kunming's signature sweet soy sauce is used alongside sugar, vinegar, chili peppers, and a sprinkle of scallions and meat sauce, creating a colorful, refreshing, and delicious pea jelly dish.
In the middle of the road, a tricycle firmly occupies the "C position". Grandma Ma, who sells steamed cakes and lotus root powder, sets up a stall here all year round.
The steamed cakes are limited daily, so arriving too late might mean they're sold out. The handmade lotus root starch is incredibly dense, holding the cakes securely in place, even when shaken. The dense texture of the steamed cakes can easily leave a dry, choking sensation if eaten alone, but the lotus root starch makes up for this. The rich lotus root starch coats the small pieces of steamed cake, creating just the right balance of sweetness and moistness. While it's a dessert, it's also quite filling as a main course.
Or you can find a small shop after dinner, sit under the eaves on the second floor, and try the traditional Yunnan delicacy "Pao Lu Da" and homemade osmanthus yogurt.
See you later on this culinary journey.
