Guilin, renowned for its breathtaking scenery, is not just a top tourist destination but also a food lover’s paradise. The city offers a wide variety of culinary delights, from traditional classics like Guilin Rice Noodles and Beer Fish to modern, fusion dishes. In this guide, we’ll introduce 15 must-try dishes that will take your taste buds on a flavorful journey.
1. Guilin Rice Noodles
Guilin Rice Noodles are a traditional snack in the Guangxi region, celebrated for their distinctive flavor and unique preparation methods. With a history dating back over 2,000 years to the Qin Dynasty, these noodles are a symbol of Guilin’s rich culture and are even recognized as a part of China’s intangible cultural heritage.
The noodles are thin, soft, and slightly chewy with a bright, white appearance. High-quality rice and clear water from the Lijiang River are key to achieving the perfect texture and flavor. The real secret, though, lies in the broth, which is made using a blend of spices and a special recipe, giving the noodles a mouthwatering aroma and a delicious, savory taste.
2. Yangshuo Beer Fish
Yangshuo Beer Fish is a local specialty from the Yangshuo region of Guilin, known for its unique cooking method and rich local flavor. Fresh carp, caught from the Lijiang River, is the main ingredient, which is then simmered with beer and a variety of spices, resulting in a dish that is fragrant, slightly spicy, and absolutely delicious.
The fish absorbs the beer’s essence, making the skin crispy and the flesh tender. The broth is rich yet light, with a balanced spiciness. When you take a bite, you’ll taste both the crunchiness of the fish’s skin and the tenderness of its meat, paired with the flavorful broth. This dish is a perfect combination of freshness, spice, and local culinary expertise.
3. Lipu Taro Pork
Lipu Taro Pork is a traditional dish from the Lipu area in Guangxi, made with Lipu taro and pork belly. The cooking process includes boiling, frying, and steaming, resulting in a dish with a golden color, crispy texture, and rich flavor without being too greasy. Its history dates back to the Qing Dynasty’s Jiaqing era, when it became a staple at wedding feasts and festive celebrations in northern Guangxi.
This dish is not only tasty but also highly nutritious. The pork belly is rich in high-quality protein and essential fatty acids, which can help combat iron deficiency and support overall health. The taro, packed with protein, calcium, iron, and other nutrients, is known for boosting the immune system, preventing tooth decay, and balancing the body’s pH levels.
4. Gongcheng Oil Tea
Gongcheng Oil Tea is a traditional drink from the Yao Autonomous County of Gongcheng, in Guilin, known for its unique preparation and energizing effects. It has been a staple in local daily life and is also a special treat for guests. With over a thousand years of history, dating back to the Sui and Tang dynasties, Gongcheng Oil Tea holds a special place in the region’s culture.
The preparation process is quite meticulous, typically using tea leaves harvested during the Qingming and Guyu seasons, along with ingredients like ginger, garlic, and peanuts. These are roasted in a special tea pot, gently pounded with a wooden mallet, and then simmered with hot water. The result is a golden-hued tea with a strong aroma and a balanced flavor. Depending on personal taste, toppings like green onions, fried rice, and crispy egg rolls can be added for extra flavor.
5. Nun’s Vegetarian Noodles
Nun’s Vegetarian Noodles are a unique traditional dish in Guilin, originating from the nunneries on Crescent Mountain. As the name suggests, this dish contains no animal products, making it suitable for both Buddhists and vegetarians. The key to this dish is its broth—clear, golden, and light. It is served with ingredients like straw mushrooms, vegetarian ham, and gluten, topped with sesame oil, fried peanuts, and pepper for an extra burst of flavor.
Today, Nun’s Vegetarian Noodles have become a popular delicacy in Guilin. Visitors often seek it out at local spots like Crescent Pavilion in Seven-Star Park, where the traditional version is still served. Variations such as sesame paste and tomato-flavored versions have also emerged, offering vegetarians an even wider range of options.
6. Guilin River Snails
Guilin River Snails are a famous local snack known for their large size, tender meat, and rich flavor. They are typically harvested in the summer and autumn months and can be prepared in various ways, such as stuffed snails, snail steak, or with pork trotters.
The preparation is labor-intensive. Large snails are carefully cleaned, their tails removed, and then stuffed with a mixture of snail meat, pork, and other ingredients. They are then stir-fried with local specialties like pickled chilies, green onions, ginger, and Sanhua wine. This combination results in a delicious and aromatic dish, perfect for adventurous eaters.
7. Guilin Rice Cakes
Guilin Rice Cakes (Shuizhaba) are a traditional snack known for their soft, chewy texture and delicate sweetness. They are not only a symbol of Guilin’s culinary culture but also a staple food enjoyed by locals for generations.
With their smooth, white appearance and slightly sweet taste, these rice cakes are typically served warm and dusted with sugar or roasted soybean powder. The cakes can be grilled over charcoal, pan-fried, or boiled in sugar water, offering both sweet and savory variations depending on personal preference.
8. Guilin Water Chestnut Cake
Guilin Water Chestnut Cake is a well-known traditional snack in Guilin, cherished for its unique texture and sweet flavor. It is primarily made from water chestnut flour (also known as biqi flour), and after steaming, the cake takes on a pale yellow color with a smooth, delicate surface and a light fragrance.
The preparation involves mixing water chestnut flour with water, stirring it into a smooth batter, and then steaming it for about half an hour until the cake solidifies. Another key step is air-drying, which needs to be carefully timed to ensure the ideal texture. In the humid summer months, drying the cake can be particularly challenging and requires skill and experience.
9. Guilin Steamed Sponge Cake
Guilin Steamed Sponge Cake is a traditional snack from the Guilin region, made primarily from glutinous rice and yellow sugar water, known for its soft and sweet taste. This delicacy is often served during celebratory events, such as birthdays, housewarmings, childbirths, and graduations, symbolizing good fortune and joy.
The cake is made by grinding glutinous rice and japonica rice into a fine powder, mixing it with yellow sugar water, and steaming it in layers inside a special steamer. Adding diced Lipu taro enhances the flavor. Nowadays, Guilin Steamed Sponge Cake is not only popular locally but also sold in other cities.
10. Quanzhou Vinegar Blood Duck
Quanzhou Vinegar Blood Duck is a specialty of Quanzhou, Guilin, with a rich history and cultural significance. This dish features vinegar and duck blood as key ingredients, along with a variety of spices and local ingredients such as Quanzhou’s small-headed duck, pickled taro stalks, and pickled ginger, resulting in a tangy, spicy flavor and tender duck meat.
The preparation process is detailed, starting with collecting the duck’s blood into a bowl with pickled vegetables to prevent coagulation and reduce the gamey flavor. The duck is then cut into small pieces and stir-fried with pickled ginger and dried chilies, followed by simmering with cooking wine until the flavors meld. The final step involves adding the pickled taro stalks and duck blood vinegar mixture, giving the dish its signature taste.
11. Lingchuan Dog Meat
Lingchuan Dog Meat is renowned for its unique cooking techniques and rich nutritional value. Yellow dogs are considered the best, followed by white dogs, with black dogs being less preferred. Lingchuan dog meat can be prepared in various ways, including slow-cooked, braised, cold-served, or in hot pots during winter. There is also cured dog meat, a spring and summer delicacy known for its chewy and flavorful texture, often enjoyed with wine.
Dog meat is not only flavorful but also highly nutritious. According to ancient Chinese medicine texts like Compendium of Materia Medica, dog meat is believed to boost energy, strengthen kidneys, and warm the body, especially during cold seasons. It is low in fat, high in protein, and rich in amino acids and trace elements, making it a nutrient-dense food choice.
12. Ginkgo Stewed Duck
Ginkgo Stewed Duck is a traditional nourishing dish from the Guilin region, made using locally sourced ginkgo (also known as white nuts) and old duck as its primary ingredients. The dish is known for its clear and rich broth, tender duck meat, and smooth, soft ginkgo nuts, all of which contribute to its health benefits.
Not only is Ginkgo Stewed Duck delicious, but it also holds medicinal value. Ginkgo has a cooling property, while old duck helps clear internal heat, making this dish an excellent remedy to nourish the organs, stimulate appetite, generate fluids, and reduce phlegm and cough.
13. Stir-Fried Sour Dried Fish
Stir-Fried Sour Dried Fish is a highly representative Guilin home-cooked dish. This dish is made from small fish from the Li River, combined with local specialties such as sour long beans or pickled bamboo shoots. The unique preparation method gives the dish its characteristic sour, spicy, and fresh flavor, making it an unforgettable taste for many visitors.
The most distinctive feature of this dish is the balance of sour and spicy flavors, as well as the freshness of the fish. The combination of sour long beans or pickled bamboo shoots with the salty aroma of dried fish creates a unique taste. Additionally, the use of local Guilin seasonings, such as Guilin Sanhua liquor, enhances the authenticity of the dish.
14. Eighteen Stuffed Dishes
The legend of Ping Le’s Eighteen Stuffed Dishes tells of the eighteen arhats who, after tasting the local Gui River fish and cliff tea, created eighteen different kinds of stuffed dishes using local ingredients. This story has become widely known in the region and serves as the origin of the famous Ping Le Eighteen Stuffed Dishes.
The preparation of these dishes is intricate and varied, covering a range of types such as stuffed snails, stuffed tofu, stuffed pomelo peel, and stuffed bamboo shoots. Each dish has its unique flavor and preparation method. For example, stuffed snails are made by mixing minced snail meat with pork and mushrooms, seasoning it, and then filling the snail shells before cooking. Stuffed bamboo shoots are made by slicing fresh bamboo shoots and filling them with a prepared meat mixture, then frying or stewing them to perfection.
15. Stir-Fried Lijiang Shrimp
Guilin’s stir-fried Lijiang shrimp is a locally famous dish made with fresh river shrimp from the Lijiang River, stir-fried to perfection. This dish is known for its vibrant red color and crispy, tender texture, allowing you to savor the pure, sweet flavors of the Lijiang River.
The key to this dish lies in controlling the heat and the use of seasonings. The shrimp needs to be quickly stir-fried at high temperatures to maintain its tenderness and crunch. When visiting Guilin, you can try this authentic local dish at restaurants for an even more traditional taste.
Conclusion
In this blog, I’ve introduced 15 unique and flavorful dishes that showcase the rich culinary culture of Guilin. Each dish reflects the local traditions, from the hearty Ginkgo Stewed Duck to the popular Eighteen Stuffed Dishes. These specialties not only offer a taste of Guilin’s history but also emphasize the importance of using fresh, local ingredients and time-honored techniques.
I hope this guide gives you a deeper understanding of Guilin’s diverse food scene and inspires you to explore these delicacies when visiting guilin. Whether you’re drawn to the bold flavors of Sour Stir-Fried Dried Fish or the fragrant Lotus Leaf Duck, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Guilin. Be sure to try these dishes firsthand and experience the authentic tastes that make Guilin’s cuisine so memorable!
