The most interesting place that I discovered this time in Beijing would have to be
王府井小吃街 (Wangfujing Street Food Alley). Silly me, forgot to bring my Lonely Planet Guide to Beijing and didn’t even know of this street until I chanced upon it while walking along Wanfujing.
One could easily walk past it as its entrance is not that attention-grabbing. It’s presence is dwarfed by the many big stores and buildings around it. Its entrance is marked by two wooden pillars with a big signboard connecting the two. On the sighboard are the words 王府井小吃街. That obviously caught my eye! That kind of thing is right up my alley!!!
I was obviously fascinated by the stuff being sold. Egg crepes filled with bean sprouts (I tried this one–very yummy), mutton noodles, bbq meat skewers, different types of pancakes etc. The most “scary” type of food I saw were the bbq meat skewers. Man, they had silkworm coccons, quails and starfish! Apparently they sell scorpions too, but I didn’t see any. But really, I think the quails just looked so pink and hairless and gross that I couldn’t bring myself to try it. As for the silkworms cocoons, well erm, maybe not this time. I didn’t think I could stomach it. One part of 王府井小吃街 is filled with stalls selling typical trinkets catered to tourists.
In addition to the chestnuts, I bought some sugar-roasted chestnuts. This time I didn’t buy a jin, I know better now! I love chestnuts and I ate the whole bag of chestnuts I bought when I got back to the hotel. For dinner, I bought a mutton burger and a flaky pastry filled with red bean from one of the street stalls. Both delicious and very cheap too! I paid only 5 yuan for it.
Anyway, I’ve become like this eating machine. I can feel my girth getting wider! Die lah!