Bingmasi Lin Zongqiu (Situ Family)
This Bingmasi Lin Mansion was first built in the Qing Dynasty, in the year 1688, and has undergone multiple renovations. The rice dumplings sold by the elderly couple who set up a stall in front of the mansion are definitely worth a try. The dumplings here seem slightly larger than those at Laomagong, and are quite substantial. They are first twisted into a triangular shape using bamboo leaves, then filled with ingredients such as salted egg yolk, ginkgo nuts, mushrooms, chestnuts, dried shrimp, dried scallops, and green mung beans. The dumplings are then tied and cooked by steaming. When you open the dumpling, it is hot and fragrant, with both salty and sweet flavors. If you dip it in some sweet syrup, it becomes fresh, delicious, fragrant, and smooth, truly a delightful treat. However, since their shop is very inconspicuous, it is very easy to overlook. So, when you pass by Paifang Street, keep an eye out for the large characters 'Situ Family'.
Wenxing Road Salty Rice Cake
In the small dish, there is a fragrant and savory taste. Salty rice cake, also known as Shui Guo or Zhu Lu Guo, is made from rice paste into a small dish-like shape. In the middle, it is filled with hot dried radish, which is tender white in color and smooth in texture. The rice cake itself is tasteless but chewy, paired with the sweet and savory dried radish, it is a distinctive folk snack in Chaoshan. When eating salty rice cake, be sure to add chili sauce or sweet sauce to make the taste stronger and more delicious.
Shibaqu Laoer Fish Dumplings & Shibaqu Laowei Fish Dumplings Shop
Small and exquisite, not wontons, shaped like ingots are dumplings. Fish skin dumplings, as the name suggests, are dumplings made with fish meat as the skin. They are produced in the Chaoshan and Shunde areas. To eat fish skin dumplings, you must go to Xima Road in Chaozhou, which is full of snacks. There are two stalls selling freshly made fish skin dumplings that I like: one is Shibaqu Laoer Fish Dumplings, and the other is Shibaqu Laowei Fish Dumplings Shop. Recommended: fish skin dumplings, fish noodles, fish cakes.
Laozihao Zhenji Beef Offal Shop & Zhenji Laowei Beef Offal
Full of beefy flavor, irresistibly delicious. Chaozhou is filled with snacks, and Chaozhou beef balls are also well-known. The saying 'masters are among the people' is absolutely true. Every morning at around 5 AM, Zhenji starts to prepare the broth using various fresh beef bones, beef tripe, beef, and beef offal. The mix of various beef offal in one bowl is truly irresistible. Recommended: Beef offal.
Hu Rongquan
When it comes to sweet soup, many people will think of Hu Rongquan's 'Duck Mother Nian' on Chaotian Street (Taiping Road). Hu Rongquan's 'Duck Mother Nian' is essentially a sweet-filled rice dumpling popular among the Hakka people in Guangzhou. Besides 'Duck Mother Nian', another must-try at Hu Rongquan is the spring roll, which has a thin, crispy skin and a fragrant, full filling. A bite of the spring roll perfectly balances the sweetness of the 'Duck Mother Nian'. Recommended: Duck Mother Nian, spring rolls, spring pancakes, fermented bean curd cakes, and thousand-layer taro pastries.
The glutinous rice sausage is made with carefully selected ingredients and unique methods. Glutinous rice mixed with stuffing and salt is stuffed into pig intestines, which are then sealed at both ends with needle and thread or other means, and boiled in water. When served, it is accompanied by white sesame seeds and sweet soy sauce, creating a salty, sweet, and sticky taste with a unique flavor.
Kuiyuan Laoer Specialty Guozhi
A bowl of guozhi and a side of braised dishes is the typical Chaozhou-style breakfast. In Chaoshan, 'guo' generally refers to food made from rice, such as guotiao (rice noodles) and guozhi pi (rice noodle sheets). Recommended: guozhi with braised pork intestines, braised meat, braised bitter melon, braised tofu, and other various braised ingredients.
Xinqiao Rice Noodle Rolls
Chao-style rice noodle rolls each have their own unique flavors. Xinqiao Rice Noodle Roll Shop is relatively small, but you can see everything inside the shop. You can watch the owner make rice batter on the spot. The main fillings used are eggs, minced meat, diced mushrooms, and shredded cabbage. The rice noodle roll skin is on the softer side but still within an acceptable range. The blended satay sesame sauce has a distinct aroma, making it a pretty good plate of rice noodle rolls.
