Beijing 2024 - Day 1 Food Adventure

So being surrounded by shops and restaurants, what did we eventually ended up eating on our first day in Beijing? Well, this is a post all about that! I wanted to eat street food. So we wandered around checking the prices of the snack stores, and ended up at this one, which was my favourite 

So for lunch, the husband had some skewers. Super giant skewers that people were just casually eating all over the streets like a boss! We got a sotong and a beef or mutton skewer. They were delicious!

I got a beef meat pie. I think it was beef! Lol. It was on my to-eat list, and only 9yuan each! Which was less than 2sgd. And it was pretty filling. We came back to the shop two more times during our stay, cause I fell in love with one of the dish here, which in English translation was called 'Exploding Stomach'. A dish filled with beef intestines and stomachs etc and lots of vegetables, and peanut chilli sauce, and cilantros! OMG, so much cilantros that I just love it! I still miss it after leaving Beijing. It's a snack I would happily eat again and again. Super addictive.

I also saw Beijing Yogurt, also on my to-eat list, but they sold it without refrigeration. Was that safe to eat? Anyway, above was a small 'mamak' shop at some back alley which my husband wanted to get a beer from. 

We got and tried a few beers in Beijing. This was also on my to-eat list, or to-drink in this case. It's called Yanjing Beer, and I understand that Yanjing was the old name of Beijing? 

Here's the beer boy enjoying his beer at the back alley, lol. We love going local like that. And the beer was out from the fridge, so it was cool! Very refreshing after walking around the whole day. And the beer wasn't expensive either. Almost on par with a regular soft drink price. Maybe just more expensive by one or two yuan. So beer it was for the rest of the trip! Plus, Chinese beer are more like Shandy, not too high in alcohol. 

At another alley, the husband got some sugared covered fruit skewer. Coming to Beijing was my idea, but I have a feeling my husband was having more fun than me here. Mainly cause he could relate more to these traditional food of China as compared to me who grew up in a more western influenced family. I really have no reference point of Chinese culture except from western movies! Granted I did studied in a Chinese school all young life up to O-levels! Lol. 

For dinner, the husband picked the place, and I approved it as it was also on my to-eat list. It was braised product, and I bet he thought there would be braised pork. Hahahaha, how wrong of him. Since we had only snacks for lunch, we went into the store around 5pm for an early dinner, hence it was quite empty. But the words in the photo above says it was a hundred over year shop, so hope the food is good.

Here is a look at the store. We found it in another alley, lol. Super local, right? I always try to avoid restaurants on the main street. Alley was usually where they hide all the places where locals ate at.

And this was what we had, braised intestine soup with liver and I forgot if there were blood cubes. There were also gluten stuff inside. The soup was rather strong, so I asked if they have rice to go with it. The aunty said people in Beijing don't eat rice..... But she did sold me a bowl anyway. It was super filling. I didn't really life it that much cause it was rather meaty and gamey. 

Cold drinks with ice was kinda hard to find in Beijing. We found it at Mixue near our hotel, but they gave just 1/4 cup of ice inside, which quickly melted. I drank Mixue a few times during the trip just for the ice. I realised I was pretty addicted to ice! Anyway, I took teh straw wrapping of Mixue caue I though it was cute and cheesy. I don't think we have the same in Malaysia. I though it was sweet. 

I did eventually bought the Beijing Yogurt from a small grocery store near our hotel which stores it inside a fridge area. It was pretty cheap, and sooooo delicious that I ate it a few more times and also still miss the taste of it. I hope I can visit Beijing again when I am old. It would be so nostalgic to be able to eat all those food again, even though it was only my first day in Beijing! I was already so in love with the food here.

And what is Beijing Food without Beijing Duck? Walked pass this store with the food looking chef inside preparing the dish. Beijing Duck was definitely on my to-eat list! And I had to keep nagging my husband that we have to try this dish. The husband has the impression that it would be expensive, since it was an expensive dish in Singapore, and most Chinese countries. But we had to at least try it once in Beijing! So stay tune for that!