Beihai Specialty Food Guide

1. Must-Eat Seafood: A Collision of Freshness and Authenticity 1. Steamed Grouper Recommended Reason: Beihai grouper has tender meat like chicken; steaming preserves its fresh flavor best, served with ginger and scallion dipping sauce for the original taste. Where to Eat: Waisha Seafood Island, Old Street "Lao Huo Ji Seafood Stall." Tip: Grouper is fattest in summer; recommend 1 jin per person, order according to the number of people to avoid waste. 2. Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp Special Way to Eat: The mantis shrimp is fried crispy and sprinkled with salt and pepper; the shell is chewable, and the shrimp meat is salty and springy. Hidden Spot: The night market stalls on Qiaogang Style Street are more down-to-earth, with prices 30% cheaper than tourist areas. 3. Sandworm Sashimi Freshness Guide: Sandworms look like intestines but have a crisp and tender texture; best served blanched or steamed with garlic, locals often pair it with rice wine. Recommended Place: Weizhou Island Nanwan Street seafood stalls, freshness guaranteed. 2. Street Snacks: A Feast of Carbs and Fire 1. Shrimp Cake Old Brand Recommendation: Beihai Old Street "Aunt Li’s Shrimp Cake Shop," frying over 200 jin daily, arrive early to queue. Photo Pose: The freshly fried shrimp cake is crispy outside and tender inside, paired with chili sauce; hold the cake up to the camera and take a bite for photos. 2. Crab Roe Rice Noodles Flavor Highlight: A Qiaogang exclusive dish, rice noodles coated with crab roe sauce, with tomato added for a sweet and sour taste that whets the appetite. Photo Prop: Ask the owner to add a spoonful of shiny crab paste; a top-down shot of the red and yellow soup is more tempting. 3. Stir-Fried Ice Magical Experience: Coconut or jackfruit flavored stir-fried ice is the most popular; ice cubes roll and form on the iron plate, melting instantly in the mouth. Recommended Pairing: Qiaogang "Youjian Ice Room" mango stir-fried ice, with so much fruit it overflows. 3. Specialty Soups: Warm and Refreshing 1. Seafood Congee Rich Ingredients: Shrimp, crab, shellfish simmered into a milky white congee base, rice grains soft and tender, incredibly fresh. Hidden Way to Eat: Pair with fried dough sticks soaked in congee; experience the most authentic taste at San Zhong Road night market at dawn. 2. Sweet Soup Shops Must-Order List: Mung bean kelp, corn sweet soup, locust flower jelly, 5 yuan per bowl, great value. Recommended Shop: Old Street "Liang Ji Sweet Soup," a 30-year-old shop, coconut milk taro sago is the most popular. 4. Cultural Easter Eggs: Niche Foods and Stories 1. Jishiteng Rice Cake Folk Experience: A must-eat during Hepu’s March 3 festival, black-green glutinous rice cake wrapped with crushed peanuts, slightly bitter then sweet. Where to Buy: Hepu Old Street vegetable market, made fresh by aunties on the spot. 2. Pig Trotter Rice Noodles Hearty Breakfast: Pig trotters stewed until soft and gelatinous, paired with thick rice noodles and marinated egg, one bowl fills you until noon. Recommended Reason: Hainan Road "Huang You Ji" uses more than a dozen spices to stew, rich but not greasy. 5. Food Route Planning 1. Breakfast: San Zhong Road "Zhou Ji Pig Trotter Rice Noodles" → Old Street Shrimp Cake → Sweet Soup Shop. 2. Lunch: Waisha Seafood Island to pick fresh seafood for cooking, about 80 yuan per person to eat to fullness. 3. Afternoon Tea: Qiaogang Style Street stir-fried ice + crab roe rice noodles. 4. Late Night Snack: Guizhou Road barbecue stalls, must-order garlic oysters + sandworm congee. 6. Pitfall Avoidance Guide 1. Seafood Overcharging: Clarify pricing method (by weight/by piece), recommend chain restaurants with clear pricing. 2. Sweet Soup Pitfalls: Avoid pre-made saccharin soups, look for freshly boiled "turtle jelly + milk" combos. 3. Stir-Fried Ice Tricks: Some vendors use saccharin; prioritize old brands with long queues. Beihai’s food is as straightforward and passionate as the sea breeze, from morning pig trotter rice noodles to late-night sandworm congee, every bite is a gift from the ocean. Remember to save some appetite for the nameless small stalls at the alleys of Old Street, where the most authentic Beihai flavors are hidden.