"What's REAL Chinese food like?!"

Everyone always asks about Chinese food...'is it the same as the food back home?'. Although neither Tim nor I are aficionados of American Chinese food, I suppose that in the broad sense people might say it is similar....you order several dishes to be shared and eaten with rice. However, our culinary explorations led us to sample every imaginable variety of steamed bun and a plethora of noodle soups (our favorite being the soups with hand 'pulled' noodles magically whipped up right in front of us). We also enjoyed eating family style with fellow travelers and staff at a hostel where more than 10 of us were all feasting on various homestyle meat and veggie dishes that the wonderful staff whipped up and then joined us to eat (always a good sign when the staff is willing to join you!!). Chopsticks would weave their way in and out across the table to sample the various steaming dishes we all shared. But it is one meal in particular that defines our culinary experience in China...in the quaint old town of Dali, we happened into a small restaurant that looked much like all it's neighbors with baskets of fresh produce on display that you could choose from for your dinner. A bit to the owner's dismay, we opted to invent our own dishes instead of trying his specialties. We had a lovely dinner and decided to return the following night...this time to sample his special dishes. He happily ushers us to the last of the six tables in his modest restaurant and starts to point things out on the menu (which was loosely in english...at least to giving you a vague notion of the dish). The owner's lack of english prevented him from describing the dishes to us in any detail, so he asks around the small crowded space if anyone spoke english, and the woman seated behind us gladly became our translator. She expained that everyone came to this particular restaurant for the owner's famous spicy seafood dish. The owner yelled back into the kitchen and his wife procured a bag of mussels to show us, along with the finished product. We agreed to give it a try...liked his recommendation of chicken with green papaya...wanted to try the local fried cheese...and had to order the dish that had brought us back in the first place....sweet and sour pork. Once the order was placed, the wife (aka chef) strolls to the front of the restaurant to collect all the fresh vegetables and herbs needed to produce the savory dishes. The owner employs the translator to tell us how his prized dish goes back several generations in his family, and of the medicinal benefits of green papaya. When the dishes came and our table was overflowing with food, he watched us closely as we sampled his recommendations. There was no need to feign enjoyment as Tim and I were delighted by the meal....a veritable flavor explosion in your mouth with fresh, tangy flavors that were a world away any American Chinese experience that I have had. We wandered back to our hostel with full bellies and huge, content smiles on faces...feeling fortunate to have stumbled into this seemingly famous restaurant for such a memoable meal under the close eye of the owner.