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Jay And Karolina take a Beijing breakfast tour led by Kelly from Lost Plate Food Tours. They walk through hutongs and try imperial snacks such as yellow pea cakes and purple rice balls, then sample fermented tofu, an imperial beef pie, tofu pudding, baozi, breads, sweet fried pancake, egg-filled pancakes, lamb soup, and tofu salad. Kelly explains the dishes and their histories, and the group also discusses local breakfast customs, including why soup may be served at the end of a meal. Their route finishes with coffee and tea on a rooftop and a visit to White Dagoba Temple, the largest and oldest stupa in Beijing, with a history of 800 years.
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Breakfast and imperial snacks in the hutongs
Jay And Karolina join Kelly from Lost Plate Food Tours for a Beijing breakfast tour through the city's hutongs, the narrow alleyways that shape the area's historic streets. The group starts with imperial snacks once reserved for royalty, including yellow pea cakes and purple rice balls. Kelly explains the ingredients and preparation, including that the colored rice uses natural colors rather than GMO ingredients. The travelers also try a challenging fermented tofu dish and an imperial beef pie, which has a crispy outside, a soft center, and a peppery taste.
The tour gives them time to observe daily life in the hutongs as they move between food stops. They see public restrooms, which the tour relates to hutong homes not having private restrooms. Kelly shares context about the area and the foods, while Jay and Karolina react to unfamiliar flavors. The tour moves from sweet and colorful snacks to savory pastries and fermented food.
Pancakes, breads, tofu, and lamb soup
The next part of the route includes tofu pudding, baozi, and breads, followed by sweet fried pancake and egg-filled pancakes. The travelers taste each dish and discuss what they like. They also try lamb soup and tofu salad. Kelly explains that soup is often served at the end of a meal in Chinese culture, both to fill any remaining space and to aid digestion. The tofu salad looks like noodles but is made from the essence of tofu. The group also talks about lamb and mutton being common in Beijing because of the region's historical ties to nomadic cultures, while pork is the most commonly consumed meat among the Han Chinese majority.
The breakfast tour reflects the idea that breakfast is an important meal in China and can progress from richer foods to simpler dishes over the course of the day. Jay and Karolina try a range of foods rather than a single dish, and Kelly's guidance connects each one with local traditions and preparation. Hawthorn drinks are another popular refreshing beverage in China, especially in summer. The tour includes a rooftop stop for coffee and tea, where the travelers enjoy the view after the food walk.
A historic temple and the end of the tour
The route also takes the group to White Dagoba Temple, described as the largest and oldest stupa in Beijing, with a history spanning 800 years. The temple visit adds a cultural stop to the food-focused walk through the hutongs. The travelers finish with rooftop coffee and tea and reflect on the dishes they sampled, the alleyways they explored, and the history Kelly shared. The video captures a morning built around local food, guided explanation, and the everyday setting of Beijing's historic neighborhoods.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What is the most interesting thing about the Hutongs?
- A: The tour explains that many hutong homes do not have private restrooms, so public restrooms are common throughout the area.
- Q: What is special about the colored rice?
- A: Kelly says the purple rice balls use natural colors rather than GMO ingredients.
- Q: What is the most challenging food we tried?
- A: The fermented tofu dish was very sour and strongly fermented, making it one of the more challenging foods for the group.
- Q: What's the story behind the Rolling Donkey snack?
- A: Kelly says it gets its name from its shape and from a donkey's habit of rolling on the ground.
- Q: What did you think of the Imperial Beef Pie?
- A: The pie was a favorite. It had a crispy outside, a soft inside, and a peppery taste.
- Q: What's your favorite food from the tour?
- A: The sweet fried pancake was a personal favorite among the dishes the travelers tried during the breakfast tour.
- Q: What is the significance of the soup at the end of the meal?
- A: Soup is served to fill any space left at the end of the meal and to aid digestion, according to Kelly's explanation.
- Q: What is unique about the tofu salad?
- A: It looks like noodles, but it is made from the essence of tofu, as the tour explains.
- Q: What did you think of the rooftop coffee experience?
- A: The rooftop stop was beautiful, and the travelers enjoyed the view while having coffee and tea after the food tour.
