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The best Vegetarian Restaurants in Guangzhou
Are you a vegetarian or vegan but still want to try some authentic Cantonese food rather than eating a salad or Indian food in Guangzhou? Little do people know, although Cantonese cuisine is famous for its exotic ingredients, Cantonese are as serious when it comes to vegetarian cuisine and they excel in it. Chinese vegetarianism stemmed from its Buddhism roots. Whilst Monks and Nuns are vegetarians for the full year, people who believe in Buddhism has long practised eating vegetarian food only on the 1st and 15th day of the lunar month. They believe the desire to kill and eat animals brings negativity and having vegetarian meals on a regular basis will cleanse one’s soul and heart. There are over 100 vegetarian restaurants in Guangzhou. The Eating Adventures team has put together this list of some of the best vegetarian restaurants on offer in Guangzhou.Chan Yi Tea House and Vegetarian Restaurant 禅意茶素Next to Xiao Gang Park main gate on Qian Jing Road, Haizhu District海珠区前进路晓港公园正门旁边020-8440 0079 “Chan Yi” means Zen Buddhism. The restaurant is set next to the tranquil Xiao Gang Park. Once you step inside, you will instantly forget that you are in the middle of a mega city with a population of 13 million. Their dishes are created based on the Zen Buddhism principles and hence there is a strong emphasis on nature, healthy and cleansing. Their menu covers dim sum, soups with different health remedies, some traditional vegetarian dishes as well as very creative dishes. Run by the well-rated Bing Sheng Group, it is not surprised that everything is done to perfection and the food is simply divine.Recommended dishes –Chinese yam and bamboo fungus in Maggie sauce – Thinly sliced yam and bamboo fungus are deep-fried and sprinkled with Maggie sauce, red and green pepper strips. Simply delicious.Salt and pepper mushrooms – Mushrooms are cut into long strips, coated with a thin batter before deep-frying. They are so crunchy and a bit spicy yet taste so clean and healthy.Sweet and sour mushrooms – This tastes better than the meat version and the sauce is great to go with rice. Fo Shi Jie Vegetarian Restaurant 佛世界素食馆2-8 Niu Nai Chang Street, Tong Fu Middle Road, Haizhu District海珠区同福中路牛奶厂街二圣宫前2-8号020-8424 4376This down to earth vegetarian restaurant has a very long history. The building was once housed by a group of Chinese nuns before converted into a five storey restaurant. On every 1st and 15th day of the lunar month, the place is packed with local patrons. Ground floor is a canteen style hall which pumps out cheap vegetarian dishes for local elderly people. Upstairs serve exquisite dim sum in the mornings and amazing main dishes in the evening. The price is very reasonable too.Some of the popular dishes include crispy fish in sweet and sour sauce, bean curd roll, vegetarian goose meat and vegetarian Char Siu. Despite their names, they are all made from vegetables but even the biggest meat-eater would not complain about the food. In order to keep the food interesting, the chefs have created some vegetarian dishes where the texture resembles meat. Most of these are made from food with high gluten content. So the vegetarian Buddhists do not have to worry about the temptation of meat!Shui Mu Sheng Vegetarian Restaurant 水木苼蔬食料理Room 405, 4/F, Dongshan Jinxuan Modern City, 6 Nonglin Down Road, Yuexiu District越秀区农林下路东山锦轩现代城4楼405室（东山口地铁站C出口）020-2988 0336This is an upmarket vegetarian restaurant located in Yuexiu district. The two owners have had strong interests in vegetarian cuisine since they were young. The careful combination of ingredients give the dishes a complexity of flavours and textures. The award-winning interior has a bird cage theme which is the final touch for a really memorable meal.Signature dishes –Mushrooms wrapped in vegetarian bacon – Bacon? Did I read wrong? No. These vegetarian bacon has the same texture as real bacon! The mushrooms are slowly pan-fried to ensure the juice is kept inside. Bean curd roll with seaweed, white raddish and other green vegetables.Golden lotus root slices stuffed with taro – The lotus root is crispy with the soft taro that melts in the month. Other vegetarian restaurants worth mentioning:Tian Shui Delicate Vegetarian Cuisine 天水精致素食料理Dong Fang Hong Creative Park, 313 Gong Ye Middle Road, Haizhu District海珠区工业大道中313号东方红创意园里（纸厂对面）13580470717This restaurant changes its menu every month and only uses ingredients in season and has a strong emphasis on presentation.Su Le Yun Hai 素乐云海87 Liurong Road, next to Liurong Temple六蓉路87号，六榕寺旁020-83521495The owner is determined to excel in vegetarian cuisine and over two years he slowly closed down his chain of seafood restaurants to concentrate his efforts on Su Le Yun Hai inside the famous Liu Rong Temple. Since the restaurant locates within the temple, it is under the strict supervision of the Head Monks there making sure all ingredients meet the criteria of “no killing”.Yi Xing Vegetarian Restaurant 怡新素食4/F, 161 Lin He West Road, Tian He District天河区林和西路161号中泰国际广场四楼020-3831 0703This restaurant specialises in soy based dishes. The menu lists for each dish the ingredients, heath remedies and nutritious values.Su He Jing Su Vegetarian Restaurant素和敬素食餐厅3/F Guang Lian Building, 750 Dong Feng Dong Road, Yuexiu District越秀区东风东路750号广联大厦3楼020-8761 8853Want to try something different? How about Thai-styled vegetarian hotpot? Vegetarian tom yum and vegetarian satay soups would definitely satisfy your taste buds.If you are open to carnivorous options, you can also always join one of our great Guangzhou Food Tours, Hong Kong Food Tours or Shanghai Food Tours. Some tours in Hong Kong can be customised for vegetarians!
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WEIRD FOOD TO EAT IN GUANGZHOU
Guangzhou may be the ultimate travel destination for those of you seeking to expand your culinary horizons with unusual exotic food. Weird food, does not necessarily mean bugs and strange furry animals. The people of Guangzhou have a love for food, and there is a huge diversity of fresh produce available. A simple trip to the market in Guangzhou can present a wide range of fresh food that would be more than enough for an episode of Bizarre Foods. Chickens with black meat, goose eggs, pigeons, scorpions, crocodiles, more varieties of mushrooms than you have ever seen before, and that is before you check out the seafood. Any of you that are lucky enough to visit Guangzhou can see these exotic wonders and a lot more on our Guangzhou Food Tours.Our focus in this list is bizzare or unusual foods that are readily accessible to try in Guangzhou, the things that are part of everyday life for local Cantonese people. Remember, what is weird to you, is normal to us!Weird Foods of Guangzhou - No 1. Black Chicken (Wu Gai)In English this chicken is called a Silkie. They have beautiful soft white feathers, and amazingly black meat and bones. If you go to a market in Guangzhou, you will see the black meat on display at any chicken stall. The meat is commonly used to make chicken soup and is has been prized for its medicinal qualities in China for hundreds of years. The soup is a clear soup boiled with goji berries, dried yam, dried orange peel and ginger.Another unusual fact about this chicken is that is has 5 toes instead of 4 toes like most other chickens.In addition to chicken soup, the eggs from Silkie's are blue / black colour, fragrant and delicious. They run at about double to cost of normal chicken eggs.Black chicken is so common that we will not recommend an individual restaurant. Almost every neighbourhood has a soup shop that will sell Wu Gai soup. Most large restaurants will also serve the soup. Ask your concierge for a suggestion, or any Cantonese local!Weird Foods of Guangzhou No 2 - Scorpion If you are reading this, you have probably already come across the common images of people selling scorpion skewers in Beijings night markets. Unlike in Beijing, this is not a tourist novelty. In Guangzhou if you go to most wet markets, you can find someone selling a variety of different scorpions. In Chinese medicine, scorpions are known for their detoxification purpose. It is often used to treat arthritis. Normally used in soups, locals think male scorpions with small bellies and thick legs are the best. If you are interested in trying some scorpion soup, there is a 35 year old restaurant called Dun Ping Huang on Tong Fu Dong Road, Haizhu. They specialise in slow cooked soups and serve a wide variety of medicinal soups including scorpion soup, cow penis soup and turtle soup. Weird Foods of Guangzhou No 3 - Goose EggsGoose eggs, exotic, delicious and sure to give you high cholesterol. One of the more tame exotic foods that you can try in Guangzhou, these jumbo eggs are around 3 times the size of a normal chicken egg, and at least double the price per gram of a chicken egg. We like our goose eggs pan fried and have it as a common breakfast treat. You probably won't find this on many restaurant menu's, but you can buy it at any wet market. Goose eggs are high in protein content and full of minerals and vitamins. It is said to help improve one’s memory. Weird Foods of Guangzhou No 4 - PigeonThere is a Chinese proverb that one pigeon is worth nine chickens. Pigeon is a delicious treat available in many restaurants across Guangzhou and also fresh in all wet markets. Common ways to eat pigeon are roasted, similar to duck or goose, or in a soup or hot pot. The meat is darker than chicken, more like duck, flavoursome but not fatty. There is not much meat on a pigeon, so either order a few to share, or have it as part of your main meal. Pigeon soup is particularly delicious. Where to try it?You can try good roast pigeon all over Guangzhou, ask a Cantonese concierge for a recommendation. For pigeon soup, my favourite is from a small restaurant in Liwan district. Nothing fancy, but authentic and delicious.Wang jin ge on Jiang Yi Road, Haizhu specialises in pigeon and is one of our favourite restaurants. You can have your pigeons cooked in four different ways plus treat yourself with one of their medicinal pigeon hotpots. Weird Foods of Guangzhou No 5 - DonkeyDonkey is not a Cantonese speciality, but it is available in Guangzhou. Originating from Northern China, Donkey can be prepared in a variety of ways. Hot pot is one of the most common. The meat is similar to beef, but with a more subtle flavour and is considered a delicacy. If you are living in Guangzhou, you can buy fresh donkey meat in Liwan near the Lamb wholesalers. There is a Chinese saying “There is dragon meat in heaven and there is donkey meat on earth.” It is meant to be excellent for people with bad back.Weird Foods of Guangzhou No 6 - Geoduck Geoduck (pronounced Goo-ey-duck) its the largest burrowing clam in the world. They originate from the west coast of Canada and the USA and are sold live in markets across Guangzhou, as well as neighbouring Hong Kong. Geoducks take 6 years to reach maturity and can live for an amazing 140 years, although life expectancy is considerably shorter for those in Guangzhou Restaurants! A single Geoduck can weigh around 1.5 pounds.Lots of high end seafood restaurants in Guangzhou will have live Geoduck on display. Alternatively for the very freshest and widest choice, head to the Huang Sha Seafood markets and be amazed. Expect to pay around 300 RMB per kilo for this rare delicacy. The best way to prepare geoduck is to quickly boil them in hot water then dip into ice cold water. Sprinkle with shallot, ginger and chilli, drizzle with soy and cooked oil.
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7 reasons you must visit sanya
1. SANYA'S BEAUTIFUL BEACHES Yes, Sanya really does have beautiful beaches, and I don't mean that in a "beautiful for China" kind of way. Hainan is known as the Hawaii of China, but I don't think that does Hainan or Sanya justice. Sanya is not a second class Hawaii, it is a beautiful beach destination in its own right.Being a beach holiday traveller myself, I have been to most of the famous beach destinations around the world. Everything from Brazil to Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Greek Island and even Tunisia. Sanya is not my favourite beach destination, that would have to go to some of the beaches in Australia. But it does compare favourably to many more famous beach resorts around the world, and in particular many spots in Thailand.We have a friend that said, Sanya is for poorer Chinese, and rich Chinese will go to Koh Samui. That may be true, but I would take the clean waters and sand of Sanya over Koh Samui's polluted beaches any day.Sanya isn't a surfing destination (although depending on the time of year it could be great for windsurfing and kitesurfing), but if you are looking for some time in the sun, a swim in the ocean, or collecting some sea shells, it might be just the right beach holiday destination for you.
15 Weird foods to EAT in HOng Kong | The ultimate weird food guide for HK
When we are not running food tours in Hong Kong, the Eating Adventures team loves exploring Hong Kong to find the weirdest and most exotic food. Here is the our ultimate guide of 15 of the weirdest foods that you can find in Hong Kong.
BIRD NEST SOUP
Birds nest soup is one of the most expensive exotic delicacies that you can eat in Hong Kong. The nest itself is actually solidified saliva from male Swiflets. The nest are normally used to make a soup and are prized for their high nutritional value. Bird nest soup can either be sweet or savoury and should not be prepared with anything that has a strong flavour so as to appreciate the delicate flavour of the bird nest.
When dissolved in water the birds nest has a gelatinous texture. The colour of the nest varies with quality, with the purest white nests being the most expensive.
We have had the good fortune of trying high quality bird nest in a sweet soup dessert and highly recommend it!
Buying birds nest from speciality shops for home cooking costs around HKD150 to HKD500 per gram.
If you are interested in trying birds nest in a restaurant here are two options:
Tin Ngai Kam Bird Nest Place (G/F, 210 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei) – A small no-frills place specialising in medicinal soups and birds nest, their small soup costs HKD238.
Shang Palace, a 2 Michelin-star Cantonese restaurant inside the Shangri-La Hotel, their bird nest soup costs HKD680-HKD720 per person.
STINKY TOFU
Stinky tofu is fermented tofu that can be found as a street food in Hong Kong. This weird food has its origins in mainland China, but can also be found in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Taiwanese are especially fond of this pungent food, serving more varieties than you can find in Hong Kong.
The stink in the stinky tofu is from a fermented brine made from fermented milk, vegetables, meat and shrimp. Fresh tofu is immersed in the brine for a day or two to get its flavour. The smell of stinky tofu is quite overpowering. It reminds me of the open sewers in Africa. You will need to overcome your natural instinct not to eat food with a rotten smell to try this snack.
In Hong Kong stinky tofu is normally deep fried and served with hoisin sauce. In the past, stinky tofu was sold in street carts in busy areas like Mong Kok. Nowadays, you can find them in these little street side snack food shops dotted around the city.
CENTURY EGG
How about some egg that has been cured in horse urine?
Century egg is also known as hundred year eggs or thousand year eggs. It can be prepared from duck, quail or chicken eggs that are preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, quicklime and ricehulls. After preservation, the egg white will turn a translucent brown colour and the egg yolk will turn dark green or grey.
Common ways you will find century egg in Hong Kong is either served in congee, or with garlic, chilli and vinegar sprinkled on top. You can also have century egg without further preparation.
Century egg has a subtle flavour and the Chinese believe it is a good hangover cure.
And sorry to disappoint, but despite many people believing that century egg is cured in horse urine because of the smell, there is actually no urine involved.
BLOOD TOFU
Blood tofu is definitely one of the weirdest foods in Hong Kong. It is coagulated fresh pigs blood that has been solidified into cubes by heating and adding salt. It has a soft and smooth texture and you will commonly find it either being eaten as a dish by itself in a soy broth or in congee. If you are lucky, you may also come across duck blood tofu. The taste, as you would expect is like you are eating blood.
Blood tofu is a Cantonese speciality that has its origins in southern china in poorer times when food was scarcer. It is rich in a range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, iron, calcium and niacin. Excessive consumption can cause iron poisoning, so don’t eat it more than a couple of times a week.
TURTLE JELLY
Turtle Jelly is a Chinese medicine that is sold as a dessert. It is believed to be good for your skin, as well as improving circulation, reducing acne and assisting your kidneys.
Traditionally it should be made from powdered plastron (the lower turtle shell) combined with a mixture of Chinese herbs. Due to the high cost of turtles, some turtle Jelly being sold in Hong Kong has been found to contain no turtle at all, so if you want to try this, check with your concierge for a reputable shop.
Turtle Jelly is an acquired taste, slightly bitter and can be sweetened by adding some syrup.
Turtle Jelly is normally sold by the same shops as sell herbal tea, and you can expect it to cost around HKD50 per portion. One famous place to try turtle Jelly is Gong Wo Tong in Jordan (15 We Chong Street)
SNAKE SOUP
Snake soup is a true Cantonese delicacy and one of the favourite tastings on our Kowloon Food Tour. Don’t be put off by the idea of eating snake—this soup is surprisingly tasty and not scary at all! It typically contains two types of snakes, some of which are venomous, and is thick with a complex flavour comprising, among other things, ginger, lemon leaves, fungus, and sometimes star anise. While the snake meat itself tastes like chicken, it is the flavour of the soup that will keep you coming back for more.
Because the Chinese believe this soup to be warming, it is particularly popular in winter, but you can find it year-round. It’s said to be good for circulation
RAW HORSE MEAT
Horse meat sashimi or Basashi is not a Cantonese speciality. This exotic delicacy originating in Japan is one of the more interesting imported foodie experiences you can try in Hong Kong. The meat gets frozen first to kill bacteria and then is served cold along with soy sauce, garlic and wasabi.
Horse meat is rich in protein, zinc, iron, and vitamin B, as well as low in fat.
If you want to try this Japanese delicacy while you are in Hong Kong, try Seki Tei Japanese restaurant in Tsim sha Tsui.
CHICKEN TESTICLES
Chicken testicles are one of the less appealing weird foods that you may find on a menu in Hong Kong. They may be added to a hot pot, deep fried or boiled. The texture is a bit like soft tofu and the flavour is more like liver.
Chicken testicles as a dish originated from the Hakka area of Guangdong province. In restaurants they call these “Hens’ eggs”. It is meant to be good for women’s skin and for men’s kidneys.
GEODUCK
Geoduck (pronounced Goo-ey-duck) its the largest burrowing clam in the world. They originate from the west coast of Canada and the USA and are sold live in markets wet markets in Hong Kong. Geoducks take 6 years to reach maturity and can live for an amazing 140 years, although life expectancy is considerably shorter for those in Hong Kong Restaurants! A single Geoduck can weigh around 1.5 pounds.Lots of high end seafood restaurants in Hong Kong will have live Geoduck on display. Alternatively you can always find fresh Geoduck on display at the Mongkok wet markets. Expect to pay around 180HKD per pound for this rare delicacy. The best way to prepare geoduck is to quickly boil them in hot water then dip into ice cold water. Sprinkle with shallot, ginger and chilli, drizzle with soy and cooked oil.
If you would like to go to a Geoduck speciality shop, you can try Sek Tek Guo in Tun Mun.
SEA CUCUMBER
Sea cucumber is a marine delicacy in Hong Kong, and despite the name, is not a vegetable. They are commonly dried for preservation and then rehydrated by soaking in water prior to cooking, although you can also find them fresh. They are prepared numerous was including in soups, steamed, deep fried, and even in Cheung fun (rice rolls). Prices can vary depending on type and quality, with the rare white sea cucumbers costing up to $80 per gram.
This is one of our favourite delicacies, and we highly recommend it!
DURIAN
Durian. Where to begin? Definitely the most delicious fruit in our opinion, and possibly one of the tastiest foods you can eat in Hong Kong. The flavour varies depending on the variety, but think of it as some sort of delicious mix between avocado and custard. The texture should be soft and creamy. If the flesh is hard it means that it is not ripe yet. Durian is not grown in Hong Kong, so it is all imported from Thailand and Malaysia. During durian season it is easy to find durian being sold in the supermarkets and fruit stalls around Hong Kong. Prices vary depending on the breed of durian and quality. Look for a durian that still has a green shell, has not opened yet and has a strong sweet smell.
SNAKE WINE
Snake wine is made from infusing whole snakes in rice wine. The snakes used for this are often venomous. Whole live snakes are placed inside jars, along with Chinese herbs, and sometimes other animals such as lizard. The wine is then left absorb the essence of the snake for several months or even longer.
The wine has a high alcohol content, and would normally be consumed as a shot. The venom from the snake is no longer dangerous after mixing with the alcohol, and the rice wine is thought to have many medicinal benefits including being anti-inflammatory and preventing hair loss.
One of the risks of snake wine is that the snake inside the bottle is not dead. There have been several cases in china of people opening a bottle after it has been left to mature only to be bitten by an angry snake.
PIG BRAIN
Pig’s brain has higher content of calcium, magnesium and iron compared to pork, however, it is extremely high in cholesterol. It is also not recommended for men but it is used as a Chinese medical for headache and insomnia. Commonly cooked in soup with other Chinese Herbs .
BULL TESTICLES
Another exotic treat in Hong Kong that is not a Cantonese speciality. Head down to Crafty Cow in Sheung Wan for some Panko Crusted bull testicles. With a more gamey flavour than beef, some people say they taste a bit like venison. Bull testicles are high in protein, vitamins and minerals.
JELLY FISH SALAD
You will never imagine but jellyfish makes a good refreshing salad in summer. Jellyfish is soaked in cold water first then gets boiled in water for 10-15 minutes before rinsing under cold water. Mixed with shredded cucumber, coriander, drizzled with soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seeds and chilli oil, the jelly fish itself is very bouncy. In fact, Hong Kong kids call them “rubber bands”.