Shanghai people care a lot about what to eat for each season. In spring, they eat belt fish; in summer, freshwater shrimps; in autumn, crabs; and in winter, anything that can keep them warm.

The typical Shanghai dishes have strong flavor and brown sauce. The taste must penetrate into the interior of the meat or the vegetable; hongshaorou (pork braised in brown sauce) is a case in point.

This dish is served in almost all the home-style restaurants, but has many names, such as Grandma's Hongshaorou, Private Hongshaorou, and Pig Kicking Football. The pork must be carefully chosen. It cannot be too fatty or too lean. The dish is savory but not greasy. In front of this dish, you will totally forget your resolution to lose weight and will be unable to resist the temptation of satisfying your appetite.

　Beijing: An exhibition of all specialties

As the capital of China, Beijing has restaurants serving specialties from almost all parts of China.

The two most famous restaurant streets in the capital are the Sanlitun and Guijie streets. Not far apart, they promote each other's business, and at night are seething with crowds.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of text for non-commercial purposes is permitted provided that both the source and author are acknowledged and a notifying email is sent to us.