Taste of Wuhan

Wuhan is a paradise for those who live to eat rather than eat to live. Snacks here are famous throughout the country. Here are some best-known breakfasts in Wuhan.

Hot-dry Noodles are reputed to be one of the five most famous types of noodle in China and the most favorite choice for breakfast by Wuhan people. The chef first cooks the fresh noodles mixed with sesame oil in boiling water. When the noodles have cooked and cooled, it becomes pliable. Then, each time before eating, the noodle will be cooked in the same process again.



Finally, dressings including spring onion and sauce will be added. You can try a bowl of Re Gan Mian for one yuan. Dozens of street vendors and small restaurants in the city sell Hot-dry Noodles. Among them Cai Lin Ji noodle restaurant located at No. 854, Zhongshan Dadao in Hankou is the best.
San Xian Dou Pi’s ingredients including bean curd sheets, meat, eggs and smashed shrimps are made into fillings. The chef uses skins made of bean and rice flour to wrap those ingredients and fry in oil. Eggs are often added to bring a crisp cover. Chairman Mao praised it each time he ate. The king of this snack is Tong Cheng Restaurant at Dazhi Crossing of Zhongshan Dadao in Hankou.



Another famous snack is doughnut. A kind of fried pie with a little salty taste, usually eaten with soybean milk or porridge for breakfast. Discard your traditional image of a doughnut: these savory treats are a far cry from what you're used to. The outside is crispy while the inside tends to be a bit softer. But despite its original Chinese name “flour nest”, only a little flour is used: the doughnut is actually mostly made from rice meal. A bit of yellow soymilk, onions and fine salt are added to create a tender, crispy and soft treat that is sure to make your mouth water.



Four Season Soup Dumplings also deserve a try. Wuhan's soup dumplings are similar to Suzhou's traditional soup dumplings, but with “Wuhan characteristics”. The thin skin, tender meat, and hot soup are a delicious treat first thing in the morning. To avoid burning and splattering, try to gently bite the skin and then sip the juice within. Afterwards you can safely eat the covering and meat leftover.

Other snacks include Aunt Xu's Spicy Rice Noodle, Fried Lotus-Root Ball (Zha Ou Yuan) and Fried Stinky tofu (Smelly tofu). No words can describe the taste of those delicious foods. The only way is to try them yourself at the following places.

Located in Zhonghua Lu Street in the town of Wuchang, the 150-meter (490-feet) long Hu Bu Alley is an ancient street with a 400-year history. Today, the age-old street has become one of the famous breakfast streets in Wuhan. If you want to try all kinds of local snacks in one stop, this is the place.



In here, you can try authentic Re Gan Mian (hot-and-dry noodles), Fried Tofu Skin and shaomai (Steamed Pork Dumplings), Baoqing pork blood balls, Maojia braised pork, Hunan preserved fish, Wuchang fish, Wuhan Doupi (a kind of snack made from sticky rice, beef, mushrooms and beans) and Jingwu duck neck. Get up early in the morning and come here to follow local people's habit of Guo Zao.