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On Tour With Dridgers (#OTWD) takes viewers on a food walk through Beijing. The couple try a savory crepe, pork bao buns and a pastry they think may be filled with duck, then visit an area known for hot pots. With help from a local, they order by scanning a code and try stinky tofu, which they find softer and more flavorful than the version they tasted in Malaysia. Sugared fruit, a filled pancake and custard tarts with flaky pastry round out the food stops. They are surprised by the range of dishes and pastries, and mention a bullet train journey as a subject for a future video.
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Street snacks and first impressions
On Tour With Dridgers (#OTWD), a British travel couple, explore Beijing's street food. Their walk begins on Wager Fuin Street, a pedestrian area that is busy with locals and visitors. After finding that a night market is closed, they look for other food stalls and try traditional Chinese snacks. One early find is a savory crepe with a crisp base, egg and Chinese spices. They also sample bao buns with juicy pork filling and soft bread.
The couple continue with several dishes, including a pastry they think may be filled with duck and a meatball in rich gravy that reminds them of a British classic. Their route then takes them to an area known for hot pots. A friendly local helps them use a scan-code ordering system, and they try stinky tofu. Its pungent smell is familiar, but they find the texture soft and the flavor better than in their previous experience with the dish in Malaysia.
More tastes around Beijing
Their food walk continues with sugared fruit, a pancake with several filling options and warm custard tarts with flaky pastry and sweet fruit. Dridgers share their reactions as they go, and the couple express surprise at the variety and how much they enjoy the dishes. The experience challenges their expectation of a narrower range of Chinese food. They also appreciate how readily local people help when the ordering system is unfamiliar.
The video follows the couple's own responses rather than presenting a definitive guide to Beijing cuisine. They compare the dishes with food they have tried elsewhere, talk through what they are tasting and enjoy playful conversation along the way. Their stops include both savory snacks and desserts, with each new stall adding another kind of flavor or texture. The couple finish by mentioning a bullet train journey as a future part of their travels, leaving this visit focused on the range of Beijing street food they sampled.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the most surprising thing about the Beijing street food?
- A: The couple expected familiar sweet-and-sour Chinese food, but the pastries and range of flavors surprised them. They describe finding much more variety than they had expected on the street-food walk.
- Q: What was your favorite dish?
- A: They found it hard to choose one. The duck pancake stood out, while the stinky tofu was also surprisingly enjoyable and much better than their earlier experience with the dish in Malaysia.
- Q: What advice would you give to other travelers trying Beijing street food?
- A: They encourage travelers to be adventurous and try dishes even when the appearance or smell is unfamiliar. Local people were helpful when the couple needed assistance, including with the ordering system.
