Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Soup Calderon - A very local dinner in China
My dinner plans caused a little commotion tonight.
As you may have read in my earlier blog post (http://vonfeldt.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-lake-in-middle-of-china.html ), I am in China. I have been working in Shanghai for the last ten days. Before leaving back to the US on Monday, I decided to take a small excursion to a smaller city outside of Shanghai.
(For those of you that may have received a few earlier blogs, I notice some of the pictures did not come through. Be sure to look for revised versions at: http://vonfeldt.blogspot.com
I boarded one of China's new bullet trains, and with a speed of over 300 km per hour, I found myself in Hangzhou 90 minutes later.
As I mentioned in my earlier blog, I spent a couple of hours waking along the path of the shoreline of the famous lake in the middle of the town. By the time I was ready to stop, it had become dark. I returned to the hotel, and realized it was already 10:00.
Dinner plans in nice restaurants don't happen after 10:00 here. I asked the concierge for the name of a place in the area that served local food. He scribbled some Chinese characters down on a Hyatt business card, gave me directions, and then finally said, "tell them I sent you."
In the travel smarts world, that is code word for, "If you go there, and you tell them I sent you, then I will also be rewarded later." Travel instinct warning.
I went to the restaurant, about two blocks from the hotel. It was indeed open. And there were lots of fish and critters swimming in the window. But no one was in the restaurant.
That is a nervous sign, that either the food is not good, not popular or is overpriced.
I decided to continue to walk a 3-4 block perimeter of the hotel to see what else might exist. My rule of looking for the hotel where it is busy and filled with locals was my goal.
Walking down a side street, I could tell many locals were going to this restaurant. That was my sign.
However, this restaurant was local. Very local. They didn't speak English. I didn't speak Mandarin. And further, this was not the kind of restaurant that encouraged visitors.
The restaurant is a soup place. Sort of. Out front, the restaurant has a counter, and a large cooler in front of the counter. You are given a 12 inch x 9 inch basket, and asked to place your items into the basket. Inside of the cooler were at least 15-20 various versions of meats in various states. On top of the cooler was a table that had dozens of types of greens and tofu.
After looking in the cooler, I opted for a pretty vegetarian bowl. I did add one skewer of small pigeon eggs, and some fish balls (think meatball, but made with fish).
The rest of my basket was filled with bundles of sprouts, leaves, skewer and twisted types of tofu and beancurd.
I also pointed at a Coke in the nearby cooler.
They motioned me in to the back of their counter into a small room with four tables. They would be taking my basket, and adding it to an ongoing cauldron of water that had continued to be flavored all day long.
After the soup was done, I was given the bowl, and was pointed to bowls of garlic, cilantro, vinegar and spices.
As I sat there waiting for my soup, I could tell everyone outside of the restaurants were looking into the window to see the white guy. As well, the folks inside of the restaurant, all 6 of them, were also relatively quiet, probably wondering if I understood Mandarin.
In the end, the soup was delicious. I slurped and pulled and tore apart my vegetables, eggs and various forms of tofu.
I love adventures like this. And if I can do it via food, all the more better yet!
As you may have read in my earlier blog post (http://vonfeldt.blogspot.com/2011/09/on-lake-in-middle-of-china.html ), I am in China. I have been working in Shanghai for the last ten days. Before leaving back to the US on Monday, I decided to take a small excursion to a smaller city outside of Shanghai.
(For those of you that may have received a few earlier blogs, I notice some of the pictures did not come through. Be sure to look for revised versions at: http://vonfeldt.blogspot.com
I boarded one of China's new bullet trains, and with a speed of over 300 km per hour, I found myself in Hangzhou 90 minutes later.
As I mentioned in my earlier blog, I spent a couple of hours waking along the path of the shoreline of the famous lake in the middle of the town. By the time I was ready to stop, it had become dark. I returned to the hotel, and realized it was already 10:00.
Dinner plans in nice restaurants don't happen after 10:00 here. I asked the concierge for the name of a place in the area that served local food. He scribbled some Chinese characters down on a Hyatt business card, gave me directions, and then finally said, "tell them I sent you."
In the travel smarts world, that is code word for, "If you go there, and you tell them I sent you, then I will also be rewarded later." Travel instinct warning.
I went to the restaurant, about two blocks from the hotel. It was indeed open. And there were lots of fish and critters swimming in the window. But no one was in the restaurant.
That is a nervous sign, that either the food is not good, not popular or is overpriced.
I decided to continue to walk a 3-4 block perimeter of the hotel to see what else might exist. My rule of looking for the hotel where it is busy and filled with locals was my goal.
Walking down a side street, I could tell many locals were going to this restaurant. That was my sign.
However, this restaurant was local. Very local. They didn't speak English. I didn't speak Mandarin. And further, this was not the kind of restaurant that encouraged visitors.
The restaurant is a soup place. Sort of. Out front, the restaurant has a counter, and a large cooler in front of the counter. You are given a 12 inch x 9 inch basket, and asked to place your items into the basket. Inside of the cooler were at least 15-20 various versions of meats in various states. On top of the cooler was a table that had dozens of types of greens and tofu.
After looking in the cooler, I opted for a pretty vegetarian bowl. I did add one skewer of small pigeon eggs, and some fish balls (think meatball, but made with fish).
 |
| These were some of the items in the cooler - various meats on a stick. The bowl however was extra special. It was the brain of some animal. I didn't ask. I couldn't ask. |
I also pointed at a Coke in the nearby cooler.
They motioned me in to the back of their counter into a small room with four tables. They would be taking my basket, and adding it to an ongoing cauldron of water that had continued to be flavored all day long.
 |
| Here is the view from my table in the back of the restaurant. Out front is where I ordered the food and others stood in line. |
After the soup was done, I was given the bowl, and was pointed to bowls of garlic, cilantro, vinegar and spices.
As I sat there waiting for my soup, I could tell everyone outside of the restaurants were looking into the window to see the white guy. As well, the folks inside of the restaurant, all 6 of them, were also relatively quiet, probably wondering if I understood Mandarin.
In the end, the soup was delicious. I slurped and pulled and tore apart my vegetables, eggs and various forms of tofu.
I love adventures like this. And if I can do it via food, all the more better yet!
On a lake in the middle of China.
I am a little handicapped.
I can't access my Facebook, Google blogs or twitter. I am not quite sure how some of these messages are going out. Thanks China. None-the-less, I am trying.
My official work ended on Wednesday here in China. Finally, no matter what it took, I told myself that I was going to finally get out of Shanghai, and go see some other place in China. I took the adventure today to get myself to Hangzhou. It is not far from Shanghai - only 120 miles. But at least, I have an adventure!
Hangzhou was the capital of China many many many years ago. Now, it is a second tier city, with a beautiful lake. (China - as well as other countries, have an interesting habit of "moving" the capital when one becomes very popular, in order to create growth or prosperity in a new city.
Although a big city, in US standards, the city is also home to "westlake" - a beautiful lake that is a tourist and lovers mecca attraction.
And with the addition of a very famous high speed rail system that opened last year, the train trip that used to take a half day from Shanghai now literally takes less that an hour. But what do you expect when you are moving at over 300 KM per hour on a bullet train.
I can't access my Facebook, Google blogs or twitter. I am not quite sure how some of these messages are going out. Thanks China. None-the-less, I am trying.
My official work ended on Wednesday here in China. Finally, no matter what it took, I told myself that I was going to finally get out of Shanghai, and go see some other place in China. I took the adventure today to get myself to Hangzhou. It is not far from Shanghai - only 120 miles. But at least, I have an adventure!
Hangzhou was the capital of China many many many years ago. Now, it is a second tier city, with a beautiful lake. (China - as well as other countries, have an interesting habit of "moving" the capital when one becomes very popular, in order to create growth or prosperity in a new city.
Although a big city, in US standards, the city is also home to "westlake" - a beautiful lake that is a tourist and lovers mecca attraction.
And with the addition of a very famous high speed rail system that opened last year, the train trip that used to take a half day from Shanghai now literally takes less that an hour. But what do you expect when you are moving at over 300 KM per hour on a bullet train.
I took care of some personal business and professional business this morning (sleeping late - and making a trip to my local bank to reset internet passwords.... the bank challenges here in China are exhausting...)
I didn't quite know how or when, but I woke up today, knowing that I would end up in Hangzhou tonight.
I made an online reservation for a hotel (seriously - what would we do without the internet... I remember backbacking through Europe in 1994 - and negotiating with people at train stations - that is so old school! And glad to be rid of it...)
I then went to my hotel lobby - and had the man print out various departure times from one of the train stations that could get me to my destination.
A couple of hours later, with some waiting in lines and benches, I was on the bullet train to Hangzhou. The trip was marvelous. I started out the window the entire time, enthralled to see the part of the country side that the new speed train cut through.
I swear. If there is ever a doubt as to the potential of this country and the mass amount of resources - ranging from people to shear tenacity - just take this trip - and you will be amazed at what you see!
Once arrived, I had to wait in line with hundreds of people to get a taxi to my hotel. But soon, I arrived, checked in, threw my things down, and headed out the door to walk the lake.
Several hours later, with a great tour of the lake, I am now sitting at the Shangri-la Hotel, miles away from my hotel. How I will get back, I am not sure.
But after several hours of walking, I needed a break. A five start hotel bar is usually a sure bet. And this was a good choice. I am the only one in the entire bar. Three people are serving me. They have on tap German wheat beer (for my parents - it is Paulaner - the tent we sat in during out Octoberfest trip!)
The hotel has free wifi - free german pretzels - all an oasis to the world I will return to outside.
China continues to be amazing - immense - and full of fast and buzzing changes!
I wish you all well.
Rick
Sent from my iPad
I didn't quite know how or when, but I woke up today, knowing that I would end up in Hangzhou tonight.
I made an online reservation for a hotel (seriously - what would we do without the internet... I remember backbacking through Europe in 1994 - and negotiating with people at train stations - that is so old school! And glad to be rid of it...)
I then went to my hotel lobby - and had the man print out various departure times from one of the train stations that could get me to my destination.
A couple of hours later, with some waiting in lines and benches, I was on the bullet train to Hangzhou. The trip was marvelous. I started out the window the entire time, enthralled to see the part of the country side that the new speed train cut through.
I swear. If there is ever a doubt as to the potential of this country and the mass amount of resources - ranging from people to shear tenacity - just take this trip - and you will be amazed at what you see!
Once arrived, I had to wait in line with hundreds of people to get a taxi to my hotel. But soon, I arrived, checked in, threw my things down, and headed out the door to walk the lake.
Several hours later, with a great tour of the lake, I am now sitting at the Shangri-la Hotel, miles away from my hotel. How I will get back, I am not sure.
But after several hours of walking, I needed a break. A five start hotel bar is usually a sure bet. And this was a good choice. I am the only one in the entire bar. Three people are serving me. They have on tap German wheat beer (for my parents - it is Paulaner - the tent we sat in during out Octoberfest trip!)
The hotel has free wifi - free german pretzels - all an oasis to the world I will return to outside.
China continues to be amazing - immense - and full of fast and buzzing changes!
I wish you all well.
Rick
Sent from my iPad
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