SavouringGuilin Join us on a gastronomic journey through Guilin as we taste the land's humble and varied cuisine amid majestic limestone formations and ancient rice terraces Words & photographs marisse Gabrielle reyes main image 123rf

Guilin just might be China's most beautiful city and her beauty draws to her millions of visitors every year. Photographs do little justice to the miles upon miles of sage-like stone peaks and the glossy Li River which snakes through and around her. Majestic limestone formations tower from above, watching the city like stoic ancient goddesses – calm and wise. You could almost imagine that stories of her beauty would reach far-fetched villages, and tales of her magnificence would seem almost mythical

if they hadn't seen the soulful paintings of Guilin by ink artists. Her storybook beauty continues to draw people to her, but now, with a strong push from the Chinese government, the visitors arrive

in the millions. International hotels like Shangri-La Hotel and Sheraton, as well as restaurants and bars, are there to cater to the bus-loads of tourists. On the large part, Guilin's food is gentle and subtle but it's punctuated with hot red chilli and the sharp flavours of various pickled ingredients. It's prepared with mostly Cantonese and Sichuan techniques and ingredients, but Guilin's geographical location have also allowed in influences from Hunan, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Fujian.

destination destination

7170

The fat of the landLandlocked, much of Guilin's dishes are products of what the

Li River has to offer. There are several dishes which are based

on river prawns and fish, while the river's constant supply

of water irrigates farmlands for as far as the eye can see.

The surrounding areas of Guilin are abundantly productive

and pregnant with fat, healthy crops: fields harvest berries

like strawberries and grapes, as well as citrus fruits like

mandarins, pomelos, and kumquats. There's such connection

to the land here – both farms and home gardens burst with

green staples like chives, bok choy, and cabbage as well as

livestock like chicken, geese, pigs, and ducks.

Shangri-La Hotel's Chinese

restaurant, Shang Palace (Shangri-La Hotel Guilin, No. 111 Huangcheng North, Second Road, 86/773-269-8888 ext. 6422), has adapted their menu

to include mostly local dishes with

ingredients sourced from as nearby as

possible. Their take on one of Guilin's

signature dishes, Yangshou Beer Fish,

is phenomenal. The fish, usually either

carp or swordfish from the Li River,

is lightly bathed in a red sauce of red

peppers, tomato, spring onion, and

local beer, and is then served on top of

a pillow of silky tofu - it's beautifully

balanced. There's no broth or water

used here, only local beer (usually the

mild light lager, Liquan) which lends

a palate-pleasing alkalinity, from the

copious amount of limestones in the

region, to the dish. Small river shrimps

are also a signature ingredient of the

area. Every part of the shrimp is eaten

(the shell, head, and flesh), allowing

a deep flavour and crispy texture. At

Shang Palace, these shrimps are lightly

seasoned and simply stir-fried with

chives and a dash of chilli. Osmanthus

is another ingredient which is special

to the region as 'Guilin' means 'forest

of sweet osmanthus'. The restaurant

serves a lovely osmanthus jelly for

dessert. It's a delicate amber-coloured

gelatin which is infused with the

fragrance and petals of the delicate

osmanthus flower as well as goji

berries. To sip, try the Buddha fruit tea,

which is another specialty of the region

and is lauded for its cooling properties.

The cool, mountainous weather of

Guilin is ideal for growing tea leaves.

For a taste of the region's teas, visit

Liu San Jie Tea Farm (321 National Road Lingui, 86/773-542-2222) in the

outskirts of Guilin. Although it caters

to tourists on the way to the Longsheng

Rice Terraces, it's a good crash course

in tea for beginners. Each visit begins

with a tour of their small tea farm

and ends with a tasting of the various

teas that they have for sale. Special is

the charcoal-smoked jasmine green

tea, White Dragon Pear Flower Tea.

However, the Sanjie Osmanthus Flower

and the Health Pu'er teas are also

fantastic and make for great gifts. Pig's trotter Osmanthus jelly

Roasted meats

Liu San Jie Tea Farm

Liu san jie

Fresh strawberries from the farms

destination destination

7372

Guilin's food scene is known for its

three treasures: chilli sauce, three

flowers wine, and pickled tofu. When

it comes to these three, it's best to

take it to the streets.

The bustling West Street (West of

Yangshou County) in Yangshou is a

tourist-friendly shopping avenue filled

with street food stalls which proffer

tofu prepared in various ways. There

are at least a handful of stalls that

sell pickled tofu, which is soaked in

either rice wine or rice wine vinegar

and is topped with chilli powder and

freshly chopped chives. If you dare,

try the stinky tofu, which is deep-

fried and almost black in colour – a

clear warning, perhaps, that what you

taste might not be so conventional. Its

taste is pungent and carries a highly

fermented flavour – definitely an

acquired taste. Apart from the tofu,

there are many more foods to be had

here. But if you're not in the mood to

munch, simply take in the sights of

cured ducks being hung out to dry;

peanut candy being hammered; cotton

candy being spun into the shape of

flowers in a rainbow of colours; and

fresh chilli and garlic being cut by

local ladies to make the city's famous

chilli sauce. There are also barbecue

stalls hawking fresh chives, chicken

wings, sausages, and whole corn on

sticks; stands selling steamed root

vegetables like sweet potato; and

booths colour-blocked with containers

filled with a myriad of pickles from

cabbage to guava to cantaloupe. There

are also shops that sell three flowers

wine, or sanhua jiu. Most popular are

the fragrant, sweet herbal versions

which are made with spring water

from Guilin's Mount Elephant area.

If you're pining to take home a

bottle of Guilin chilli sauce, which

is made from fermented soy beans,

garlic, and fresh red chilli, visit Daxu Ancient Town (113 County Road,

Lingchuan), where they sell it by the

pint. This quaint town with cobble

stone streets was formed in the early

Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126)

and is less than an hour's drive from

Guilin's city centre. While you're there,

pick up a few street snacks, such as

Three treasures and other famous eats

air-dried rice crackers or deep-fried

fish and shrimp fritters from the Li

River. It's very much a tourist town

now, with many a store filled with

generic souvenirs, but if you have the

patience to rummage through the

town's antique stores, you might find

some hidden gems like Qing dynasty

rice bowls and tea cups.

It's nearly impossible to make a trip

to Guilin without tasting its famous

rice noodles. It's a humble food which

is prepared in a light broth and eaten

for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The

thick white noodles are made fresh,

not dried, and are eaten with various

meats, such as horse, ham, or chicken.

For a five-star version, visit Shangri-

La Hotel's Li Cafe (Shangri-La Hotel

Guilin, No. 111 Huangcheng North,

Second Road, 86/773-269-8888 ext.

6433) to indulge in their breakfast

buffet. This version is cooked in a

tasty pork broth and is served plain.

However, there are a diverse range of

toppings to add to your bowl as you

please. If you want to go the local

route, add spoonfuls of Guilin chilli

sauce, various pickles, dried peanuts,

and fresh chives and coriander. Freshly fried fritters Quail and chicken egg

Chilli sauce and assorted pickles

Fried river fishRice cakes

Tofu at West Street

destination destination

7574

Rice above the rest Guilin is known for its rice noodles,

but for a taste of the most delicious

noodles in the most beautiful rice-

terrace-filled setting, visit Longsheng Rice Terraces. Ping'An Restaurant (Ping'An Village, Longsheng County,

86/773-758-3265) offers the best view

of the coiling terraces which are up to

800 metres above sea level. With the

guidance of the Chinese government,

this isolated community of Zhuang

and Yao minorities is now opening

up to the world. The village, which is

populated by only about a thousand

people, is a two hour drive and a

30-minute hike from the city. The

climb takes you up a labyrinth of

charming stairs and pathways which

are built into the mountain with little

thought for safety. There are streams

running through the hanging village

and livestock, beasts of burden,

and vegetable gardens have homes

within the confined space as well. The

summit of the mountain will reveal a

view of the ancient rice fields nestled

in between dense forests of bamboo.

You could almost hear the echos of

the farmers thousands of years prior.

During the wintertime, when the rice

fields are in hibernation, much of the

terraces are converted into vegetable

gardens of cabbage, spinach, and

bok choy.

For a taste of homestyle cooking

and the best Guilin rice noodles we've

had, head over to Longji Holiday Hotel (Ping'An Village, Longsheng County,

GeTTinG TheReThere are no direct flights from Singapore to Guilin, but China Southern operates flights via Guangzhou and Air Asia flies via Kuala Lumpur. Flight time averages at 8 hours.

GeTTinG AROund Taxis are the preferred method of transportation in Guilin, as they are abundant and cheap. If you prefer to get around on your own and get a little exercise while you're at it, rent a bicycle in the city centre.

CuRRenCy4.64 CNY = 1 SGD = 2.66 MYR

CLimATeA great time to visit Guilin is in summer, spring, and autumn as winters can be very dry and cold. It's also worth noting that May and June will see a lot of rain. If you're venturing to Longsheng, visit in July and August, when the terraces are abundantly green.

86/773-758-3545), a small inn in the

heart of the village. The noodles here

are springy, plump and served in a

warm pork-based broth with sides of

chilli sauce and pickled cabbage. Its

robust flavours are best washed down

with a glass of local rice liquor.

Throughout Ping'An, you'll see

hardworking ladies decorated with

colourful woven headdresses and

dangling silver jewellery. The men,

on the other hand, tend to the crops

and smile with a refreshing lack

of self consciousness. The younger

generations, however, look after the

many new inns and cafes. Life Cafe & Bar (Ping'An Village, Longsheng

County, 86/773-758-3500) is a cosy two-

storey spot run by a handful of young

locals. With good drinks, comforting

home-style cooking, and affordable

prices, it's a traveller's dream. Come

for a taste of local rice wine, which

they infuse with sugar and fruits like

plums and passionfruit – although a

word of caution: this tipple packs a

serious punch.

Ping'An is a model of sustainable

living. Most of the food which is

consumed in the village's restaurants

is grown in the village: eggs from the

poultry; rice and noodles from the

terraces; vegetables from tiny gardens

at the back each home; and small

rations of pork, duck, and chicken

from the livestock. Most restaurants

display the day's produce at their

entrances. Guan Jing Lou Restaurant is such a restaurant. The food here

is profoundly fresh, such as the

bamboo shoots with ham and egg;

wintermelon with shreds of carrot;

and spinach, chicken, and tofu soup. ◆

Comforting fare fromPing'An Restaurant

Guilin rice noodles at Longji holiday hotel

Streets of Ping'An village Longsheng rice terraces

Life Cafe & Bar

Fruit-infused local rice wines at Life Cafe & Bar

destination destination

7776