Advanced Search

The story appears on

Page B2

January 29, 2014

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Narrow streets host wide variety of delicious foods

By Wu Huixin | January 29, 2014, Wednesday | Print Edition

Shuangling Road and Taipingmenzhi Street are a bit narrow when compared with other thoroughfares of Hangzhou. But the width of these two roads hasn’t hurt their prosperity.

The government invested 1 million yuan (US$165,330) on a facelift on Shuangling Road in 2009, turning it into a gourmet street with a variety of food stores, from hotpot and Cantonese dim sum to local Hangzhou cuisine and snacks.

Since the road is flanked by residential blocks, it is always packed with locals exploring the tasty fare. Also, employees of nearby office buildings have turned the roadside shops into gathering places after work.

Given the crowds plus a stream of cars, going there on foot would be a wise choice.

On its way to Qianjiang New Town, Taipingmenzhi Street crosses Shuangling Road. Since Taipingmenzhi is located near the Sijiqing big apparel market and its east end connects with Qingchun Intime Shopping Mall, the street is dotted with fashion brands and boutiques. Now that the year-end sales have started, the street is swarming with bargain hunters.

The area’s restaurants are gearing up since Spring Festival is nearly here, and people are busy booking for lunar New Year’s Eve dinner, which is regarded as the foremost family reunion dinner by Chinese.

Shanghai Daily joined in the fun along the two bustling roads yesterday, finding four gems serving, respectively, dessert, traditional snacks, milk tea and coffee.

Fuyang Li Lao’er Juanmo

Juanmo (¾íâÉ) is a delicious traditional snack from Fuyang, Anhui Province, that has become popular around China. Most of Hangzhou’s stores selling juanmo were opened by Anhui natives.

It is a version of Chinese spring rolls, which have fillings rolled in wrappers and deep fried. Fuyang juanmo is stuffed with hearty fillings, including bean sprouts, sausage, cabbage and meat, all simmered in soup for hours.

The secret of Fuyang juanmo lies in the soup. It contains many herbs and seasonings, and ingredients boiled in the soup taste mellow and savory.

Vendors first roll the dough into a thin wrapper and steam it; second, they scoop the simmered ingredients from the soup and put them on the wrapper; third, they add sauces ranging from seafood to sesame flavors; then they roll up the fillings in the wrapper, which is made into a cone shape. However, vendors don’t fry them like they do spring rolls.

Juanmo is a great choice for breakfast or afternoon dim sum.

 

Address: 93 Shuangling Rd

Ayi Milk Tea

The milk tea brand made a stir in Shanghai due to unusual ingredients, and now its fragrant beverages are being sold in Hangzhou. The name ayi means middle-aged woman but also can refer to domestic helper.

Signature varieties are jiuniang (¾ÆÄð) milk tea and red glutinous rice milk tea. They include natural food ingredients without chemical additives, the company says.

Jiuniang is fermented glutinous rice, which is a sweet, soupy traditional snack made of glutinous rice and yeast. It is often mixed with osmanthus flowers in the cuisines of Shanghai and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

Before the Ayi brand, milk tea was flavored only with things like fruit pulp. The addition of jiuniang and red glutinous rice has led to imitation by other stores.

Address: 179 Taipingmenzhi St

Tel: (0571) 2892-3685

Si Li Mei

Winter may not seem like the best time to enjoy shaved ice, but if it’s good enough, the chilly weather won’t stop customers from flocking to taste the frozen dessert. Si Li Mei is always full of guests whether it’s winter or summer, and people even have to line up to wait for seats when it’s busy.

The legendary dessert brand originated in Xiamen, Fujian Province. All of the shaved ice served there is worth trying. Varieties contain mango, durian, watermelon, cantaloupe, banana and red glutinous rice. 

What distinguishes Si Li Mei from other shaved ice brands is the dessert’s three components — milk smoothie, diced fruit and a layer of homemade milky liquid that gives the dessert a flower-like aroma.

Address: 3-7 Qian Jiang Qi Yuan,Taipingmenzhi St

Tel: 186-0578-8883

Sister Cafe

Visitors get a refreshing feeling in winter passing by a mini waterfall and green plants at the entrance. Then, they may feel like they’ve stepped back in time because of the establishment’s ancient wooden furniture and Chinese-style floral canvas sofas and cushions.

Booths are divided by colorful gauze, while the more-private boxes are separated by blue calico. The walls are paneled in wooden boards painted dark and light green.

Must-orders consist of sister coffee, rice with beef and pepper, tiramisu, steak and caramel pudding.

Address: 219 Taipingmenzhi St

Tel: (0571) 8732-8588

 

Hangzhou


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend