Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Mike and Ashley set out for a food-filled day in Beijing after finding that famous tourist sites are closed. They begin with coffee that surprises them, then walk through Nanluoguxiang, where they try rose tea, blown sugar and dumplings. The pair struggles with Alipay, samples sugarcane juice served in a purple tube, and asks locals for help with transport and food choices. Their search for donkey burgers involves negotiating a costly rickshaw ride before they find Fatty Wang's Donkey Meat Sandwiches. The route continues to a panda-themed Lego store, a food market and a traditional Sichuan restaurant. There they share large portions of pork with bean sauce, fried beef pancakes and beer. The day's meals are affordable and generous, and the helpful encounters turn an unexpected itinerary into a tour of local snacks and restaurants.
Next travel video:
More about the current video:()
Snacks and street food
Mike and Ashley plan to visit famous sites in Beijing, but closures shift their attention to food. They start with coffee that turns out to be among the best they have tried, then head to Nanluoguxiang, where they sample rose tea and blown sugar. The sugar is shaped by blowing through a small tail, and the couple enjoys watching how it is made even though it costs more than they expected. They also try dumplings and other warm, savory food while figuring out dish names and ordering.
A payment attempt with Alipay becomes a small mishap, and the hosts learn from friendly local people as they continue. One stop includes sugarcane juice in a purple tube. Their search for donkey burgers takes longer: they negotiate a costly rickshaw ride and eventually find Fatty Wang's Donkey Meat Sandwiches. The donkey meat is seasoned with a salty, cured flavor and the bread is a favorite. They also try a chicken-wing rice bun, whose plump, unusual filling is not their preferred dish.
Markets and a large Sichuan meal
The pair uses public transport and gets help when they encounter difficulties. A panda-themed Lego store catches their attention and makes them think about visiting Chengdu to see pandas. They continue through a food market, visit Ghost Street and later stop at a traditional Sichuan restaurant. The meal includes large portions of pork with bean sauce, fried beef pancakes and beer. A doornail meat pie filled with onions and beef is another favorite, with a chewy, crisp bun and a very hot filling.
The day's route is shaped by food and unplanned encounters rather than the major tourist sites that were closed. Mike and Ashley notice that portions at local restaurants can be generous and the prices affordable. Locals help them with public transport, and they try unfamiliar drinks and snacks as they go. The visit ends with a Szechuan meal and a reflection on how the change of plans led them to places and dishes they had not expected to find. Their account gives a specific sequence of stops, from coffee and street snacks to a donkey sandwich and shared restaurant plates.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the best coffee experience like?
- A: Mike and Ashley say the coffee shops were everywhere, and the coffee they tried was among the best they had ever had. It became an unexpected highlight after the famous sites they planned to visit were closed.
- Q: What was the blown sugar like?
- A: It was really cool to watch. It is blown sugar, and I blew through its small tail to shape it. It tasted delicious, although it was expensive.
- Q: What were the donkey burgers like?
- A: The donkey meat was seasoned and had a salty, almost cured flavor, like jerky but more tender. The bread was delicious.
- Q: What was the doornail meat pie like?
- A: It was very hot, but delicious. It had onions and beef, and the bun was chewy and crispy. It was one of the best things I ate that day.
- Q: What was the chicken wing rice bun like?
- A: It was very hot and had a strange, plump, squishy texture, like Rice-A-Roni stuffed inside a chicken leg. It was good, but not my favorite.
- Q: What was the overall experience of eating in Beijing?
- A: The portions were generous, the prices were good and they enjoyed the food. Mike and Ashley also appreciated the local places and friendly people they met while following an unexpected route through Beijing's restaurants and food streets.
