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When you immerse yourself in exotic atmosphere in St. Sophia Cathedral, there is one thing equally appealing- Harbin Food. Taking influences from Russia, Mongolia, Korea and of course China, the food in Harbin is much "heartier" than you can find anywhere in China, and stews and other duncai are popular dishes.
Because the winters are long here you'll find less exotic ingredients and heavy use of vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, cucumber and corn. Chinese BBQ and Hot Pot is also equally popular in Harbin and is a must eat once you get into town. They have a wide field of selecting materials, and are various in style. You will find that the dishes are saltier and served in a much larger amount than those in other cities in China. Dumplings are a must-taste in Harbin, featuring thin pastry shell and various stuffing.
The following dishes are very common and popular in Harbin: Khleb and Smoked Red Sausages, Shredded Chicken Stewed with Mushroom. Dalieba (or Khleb, a kind of Russian bread) and Hongchang (Harbin Smoked Sausage) are typically Russian, and they not only are the delicacies on local people’s table, but are also good gifts for friends and relatives.
Khleb and Smoked Red Sausages are treats only known to Harbin, you can see stores selling them everywhere, they are REALLY good. Khleb is a kind of Russian bread. It is big and round, as heavy as 2.5 kilograms (5.5lb).It tastes fragrant with hard shell but soft inside. The ingredients for this bread are flour, salt and hops. Khleb is convenient for carrying and storage. Hongchang (smoked sausages) are made with lean meat. Because they are smoked with wood, there is a thin cover of charcoal dust over them. But do not think they are dirty, because it is with this dust that you can taste the true smoking flavor. When eating the Hongchang, you can also make a sandwich with the Khleb. A famous brand is "Churin", with chain stores almost everywhere to be found in Harbin.
You can find Shredded Chicken Stewed with Mushroom in most restaurants in Harbin, eapecially in winter. It is a traditional and famous dish of Harbin. Chicken is shredded and stewed with mushroom, ginger, scallion and vermicelli (bean or sweet potato noodles). It is nutritious and fragrant, and a perfect dish to warm you up in winter. When the dish is ready, the chicken and mushroom taste soft, tender and smooth.
To taste delicious Harbin dishes, Guogeli Dajie will be a good destination. As Harbin's second biggest shopping district after Zhongyang Dajie, the area around here is dotted with Russian buildings and HUGE shopping complexes. At night there are numerous night markets, a small scale Russian church where people dance, and a small and lively "bar lake." Assorted Meats on a Stick is popular in the market. It is sold on every street, try asking for grilled bread buns, its really good. Finish everything off with a egg and tomato Gada soup.
One thing you will notice is that people there love to eat, and its not just for the food, but for getting all their friends together at one table and drinking/eating the night away. Thus this city is dominated by restaurants with large tables that seat groups of people. Try to eat delicious Harbin food and drink beer with welcoming Harbin people!