Does the phrase Chinese food make you think of takeaway chop suey and spring rolls? Or have you discovered the diverse realm of true gourmet China, where you won't find a No.43 anything like the Chinese restaurant down your street produces, but you will find everything from traditional dim sum to Fusion Chinese, gastronomic delights worth travelling to the other side of the world for.
China is a huge country and produces a wide variety of regional cuisines, many of which can be sampled in its principal cities but some of which can only be tasted when you explore the countryside and sample the menu in a historic Chinese town, that still retains the old culture of tea houses and ceremonies.
If chic city living is more your style, Shanghai and Beijing are cosmopolitan centres home to internationally acclaimed chefs and restaurants that make the World lists of places to eat out in. It would be crazy to eat bland international food in China, where there is such a wealth of tastes and flavours to explore for all but the most timid of palates. Modern sophisticates will go wild over Fusion Chinese, while other may prefer to explore the wealth of regional cuisines that preserve much of China's centuries old culture.
Cantonese cuisine is often cited as the finest of China's regional cooking styles, with its emphasis on the freshest of foods, swiftly steamed or stir fried, but it is not the only way to eat in China. Szechuan cuisine is perfect for those who love spices, evolved in a humid climate where spices are part of the lifestyle it can go from mildly spiced to mouth-burningly hot. Shanghai in Eastern China, is home to slow cooking methods using soy sauce as a braising liquid. Beijing lies in the wheat growing region of northern China and its cuisine features many wheat based foods such as noodles and pancakes as well as retaining many of the cosmopolitan influences of the Imperial court.
Adventurous gourmets can have the time of their lives exploring the huge range of foods in China, visiting the wet markets in Shanghai to pick out that evening's dinner, learning to cook dim sum with an experienced chef, and enjoying degustation dinners at top restaurants. To get the most of your trip you should look for an experienced and specialist tour operator or concierge service who will be able to take you to far more interesting places than you could ever discover on your own and will look after you in the lap of luxury at the same time! After all after a day of gourmet food experiences, you want to relax in the comfort of a boutique hotel enjoying personal service, with a dedicated driver available to transport you seamlessly to the next dining delight.
Once the Olympics are over and the Beijing returns to just the normal amount of big city bustle, its fine dining opportunities will continue to delight travellers from all round the world, for any adventurous gourmet China is the place to go for new experiences and a luxury restorative vacation.
Kit Heathcock writes for Just The Planet, the online luxury travel magazine. Read more on their next gourmet China tour or browse their gourmet travel section for inspiration.
