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China's Best Street Food — Full Breakdown & Transcript

0h 23m video Published Mar 8, 2026 Transcribed Jun 28, 2026 Joshua Weissman Joshua Weissman
Beginner 3 min read For: Food enthusiasts and travelers interested in street food culture and global cuisine.
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"The title accurately reflects the content, as the video features a genuine exploration of various street foods across multiple Chinese cities, delivering on the promise of tasting the best."

AI Summary

This video takes viewers on a tour of China's best street food across four cities: Xi'an, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Chongqing. The host explores hidden gems and iconic dishes, guided by local experts, revealing the depth and diversity of Chinese street food culture. The journey showcases affordable, high-quality meals that challenge Western perceptions.

[0:27]
Noodles invented in Xi'an

Noodles were invented in Xi'an, demonstrating the city's historical significance in food culture.

[1:05]
Eggplant bao - a surprising delight

A bao stuffed with eggplant, rich and flavorful, proving meatless options can be excellent.

[1:56]
Jidan youtiao - perfect breakfast

A freshly fried egg-stuffed cruller, crispy and soft, perfectly salted and not greasy.

[2:43]
Liji jiamo - affordable yet satisfying

A soft steamed bun with pork loin, egg, lettuce, chili oil, and sauce, less than $1.

[3:50]
Pork sandwich - crispy and fatty

Braised pork in a crispy bun with onions and chilies, incredibly flavorful and juicy.

[4:58]
Xun Rou Da Bing - perfect blend of pork

Smoked pork wrapped in a deep-fried tortilla, smoky, sweet, fatty, and meaty.

[6:05]
Biang Biang noodles - iconic Xi'an dish

Biang Biang noodles, chewy and perfectly balanced with chili oil and braised pork.

[8:25]
Chengdu duck hot pot - better than Peking duck

Duck dunked in boiling chili oil, family-style hot pot with vegetables and jelly noodles.

[9:35]
Grandma Yen's Guokui - simple yet amazing

Baked pancake stuffed with beef or starch jelly and Sichuan chili oil, crispy and flavorful.

[10:53]
Tian Shui Mian - hitting all five tastes

Sweet water noodles (Tian Shui Mian) hitting all five tastes, a rare and precious recipe.

[12:34]
Luxe jianbing - breakfast of champions

Loaded jianbing with sausage, fried chicken, cracker, egg, and sweet bean sauce.

[13:42]
Doufuhua - light and savory tofu

Soft tofu dessert/savory dish, light and earthy with pickled vegetables and krill.

[14:44]
Shengjian bao and guotie - pan-seared perfection

Pan-seared bao and pot stickers, juicy and crispy, with a perfect sear.

[16:28]
Cai fan - unique rice dish with separated flavors

Rice dish cooked in lard with pork bits, mushroom, onion, and bok choy, balanced and individual.

[18:38]
You Cha - retro and nostalgic street food

Retro breakfast of fried dough sticks and porridge, with pickled vegetables adding pops of flavor.

[20:36]
Dancing wok fried rice - incredible value and taste

Fried rice with twice-cooked pork, expertly seasoned and costing only $2.

[21:38]
Beef skewers - unexpected flavor

Beef skewers grilled with a flamethrower, surprisingly good with numbing spice.

Mentioned in this Video

Study Flashcards (15)

Where were noodles invented?

easy Click to reveal answer

Noodles were invented in Xi'an.

0:27

What is the first street food tried in the video?

easy Click to reveal answer

A bao filled with eggplant and seasoned perfectly.

1:05

What is jidan youtiao?

easy Click to reveal answer

A freshly fried egg-stuffed cruller.

1:56

What is liji jiamo?

medium Click to reveal answer

A soft steamed bun with pork loin, fried egg, lettuce, chili oil, and sauce.

2:43

What is the iconic dish from Xi'an?

medium Click to reveal answer

Biang Biang noodles.

6:05

What spice is Chengdu famous for?

medium Click to reveal answer

Sichuan peppercorn.

8:09

Describe the Chengdu duck dish mentioned.

hard Click to reveal answer

A whole duck hot pot with vegetables and jelly noodles, costing $7.25.

8:25

What is Grandma Yen's Guokui?

medium Click to reveal answer

A baked pancake cut in half and stuffed with Sichuan chili oil-doused filling.

9:35

What noodle dish is described as hitting all five tastes?

hard Click to reveal answer

Tian Shui Mian – the sweet water noodle, hitting all five tastes.

10:53

What is the luxe version of jianbing in Shanghai?

hard Click to reveal answer

A loaded jianbing with sausage, fried chicken, a cracker, egg, and sauce, costing about $3.

12:34

What is doufuhua or doufunao?

medium Click to reveal answer

Soft, silken tofu seasoned with light soy sauce, scallions, pickled vegetables, and dried krill.

13:42

What are shengjian bao and guotie?

hard Click to reveal answer

Shengjian bao are pan-seared buns with a juicy pork filling; guotie are pot stickers.

14:49

What is cai fan?

medium Click to reveal answer

Cai fan, a rice dish cooked in lard with pork bits, mushroom, onion, and bok choy.

16:32

What is You Cha?

medium Click to reveal answer

You Cha – tea that is chewed, with fried dough sticks and porridge.

18:38

What dish did the host order from the dancing wok?

easy Click to reveal answer

Fried rice with twice-cooked pork, costing only $2.

20:36

💡 Key Takeaways

📊

Noodles invented in Xi'an

Reveals a historical origin that adds cultural depth to the street food experience.

0:27
💡

Value and variety of street food

Demonstrates how street food like liji jiamo is both affordable and high quality.

2:43
🔧

Family-style duck hot pot

Shows an innovative cooking method that rivals traditional Peking duck.

8:25
⚖️

All five tastes in one noodle

Emphasizes the complexity and balance in Chinese cooking.

10:53
💡

Retro food like You Cha

Highlights nostalgic dishes that are simple yet deeply flavorful.

18:38

[00:00] For years,

[00:01] China's food scene has been

[00:04] locked away behind borders, language,

[00:07] But beneath that surface

[00:10] most authentic,

[00:11] diverse street food

[00:13] So today,

[00:14] I'm trying as many of the greatest

[00:17] And of course, guided by local experts,

[00:19] we're going to be seeing Chinese

[00:23] And we're starting things off in Xi'an,

[00:27] listen up!

[00:28] Not only were noodles literally

[00:30] they still slap a thousand years

[00:34] diversity of cuisine I think

[00:37] meats, sandwiches.

[00:39] but let's not judge a

[00:41] like our first bite,

[00:43] In Xi'an,

[00:44] you're almost never gonna

[00:46] it's not really a thing

[00:48] really, really good.

[00:49] We have a maxed-out bao.

[00:51] Look at the size of this thing!

[00:53] I mean, this is a big boy.

[00:54] And also, it only costs two RMB.

[00:56] For two of them, it maybe costs,

[00:59] Insane!!

[00:59] You can charge five dollars

[01:01] Now,

[01:03] but what I find interesting is

[01:06] everybody seems to be getting.

[01:07] That looks and sounds tremendous.

[01:09] It's not something I've

[01:11] so why not try that?

[01:12] Cheers!

[01:13] Cheers!

[01:14] Oh yeah.

[01:15] Rich juicy.

[01:16] Just like you.

[01:17] Okay, I'm rich.

[01:19] Wow, this is so good.

[01:21] Is that zucchini?

[01:22] You live here, I don't know!

[01:23] I'm blown away every time I

[01:27] My first thought is,

[01:29] flavorful being just eggplant.

[01:31] And I love this texture.

[01:32] It almost has the texture of fat.

[01:34] It's seasoned perfectly.

[01:35] The salt levels are, like, perfect.

[01:37] Like, exactly where I want them to be.

[01:39] This is, like,

[01:41] and there's no meat in it.

[01:42] I'm gonna be honest: despite

[01:45] it was so good.

[01:47] Look at him.

[01:48] He's also a Xi'an local who actually

[01:51] in his restaurant for years.

[01:53] Allen, we love you.

[01:56] Basically,

[01:59] There's no way this is

[02:03] So good!

[02:04] Like, looking at this,

[02:05] "How much flavor can really be in there?"

[02:06] That looks like fried dough;

[02:07] there's not much on it, just an egg.

[02:10] That's why we have it

[02:11] This really is a perfect breakfast food.

[02:13] I mean, this bread,

[02:16] but the inside is almost like a

[02:20] It's very unique.

[02:21] I've never had anything like this before.

[02:23] It is fried absolutely perfectly.

[02:25] There's moisture in it;

[02:26] It's salted nicely;

[02:27] the salt levels are good.

[02:29] Whatever they season

[02:30] And that's the reason why they've

[02:33] Maybe more than 20, 30 years, I guess.

[02:35] If it's 30 years, it's older than me!

[02:37] Basically perfect.

[02:39] On to the next.

[02:40] We now have another classic breakfast.

[02:43] It's called liji jiamo.

[02:45] Kind of like a soft steamed bun...

[02:46] pork loin...

[02:47] fried egg, lettuce,

[02:50] This whole thing is less than one dollar.

[02:52] As big as your face.

[02:54] Cheers!

[02:55] Cheers!

[02:57] The seasoning's great!

[02:58] God, they know how to season here.

[03:00] The meat's cooked nicely.

[03:02] I like that they did pork loin

[03:05] obviously, the fat cap for some richness,

[03:07] but the meat itself is

[03:09] It's got a good tenderness to it.

[03:11] Having lean meat in here—lean

[03:14] just adds a density to it.

[03:16] I can taste the pork.

[03:19] Allen, what do you think?

[03:20] What do I think?

[03:21] Yeah, I don't...

[03:22] my brain's stopped.

[03:24] Now I really want to dig in.

[03:26] I'm really proud we have

[03:28] There's a lot of carbs in this city.

[03:30] This is maybe the only

[03:33] like lettuce.

[03:34] Not to diss Austin—and I love Austin,

[03:38] this is better than most breakfast tacos,

[03:40] Now listen here,

[03:43] but I'm gonna be honest,

[03:44] I've never had street

[03:45] And to be honest,

[03:46] it's been a while since I've seen a

[03:49] well, you'll see.

[03:50] BLEEP that smells good.

[03:51] It tastes good as well.

[03:52] It's like slowly braised pork.

[03:55] She's chopping it up fresh,

[03:56] puts it in there with a little

[03:59] and then of course,

[04:02] The smell is

[04:03] sensual.

[04:04] Cheers

[04:11] I'm taking my pants off.

[04:13] That is absurd.

[04:14] The fact that this is just

[04:16] the street and it's like,

[04:18] "I guess I'll have, like,

[04:20] fattiest little pork

[04:22] this is so good!

[04:23] There is a green chili and also the onion

[04:25] gives it a natural flavor and fragrance.

[04:27] The exterior is so crispy, so crunchy,

[04:31] but not buttery like a croissant,

[04:33] which I think is good because it

[04:36] because the inside is so

[04:39] The fresh pepper kind of

[04:41] It's not spicy at all.

[04:42] I might even opt for double the amount of

[04:46] How can you make this better?

[04:47] Maybe something like acidic?

[04:48] More meat.

[04:49] Yeah, more meat.

[04:50] The best part would be, in a hurry,

[04:53] On to the next.

[04:55] But just when I thought the

[04:58] Xun Rou Da Bing.

[05:00] When I was young,

[05:02] So, it's got barbecued pork,

[05:04] But what is this exterior?

[05:05] Pretty much like a deep-fried tortilla

[05:09] And the meat is smoked pork, green onion.

[05:11] It smells super smoky.

[05:12] I'm just going to go in.

[05:13] You should put the

[05:15] The whole one?

[05:16] Yeah, of course.

[05:17] Okay.

[05:18] Don't look at me like that...

[05:19] I'm in love.

[05:22] Lightly smoked, lightly sweet,

[05:24] This is the perfect blend of pork.

[05:26] They basically cook and

[05:28] the fat and everything.

[05:29] But then they chop it up in

[05:32] like,

[05:34] So it all comes together.

[05:35] Little bites of nice chewy lean

[05:39] And it's smoky and it's slightly sweet.

[05:41] Makes you so satisfied, right?

[05:43] Beyond satisfying.

[05:44] That is unbelievable!

[05:46] It's good.

[05:47] Ooh, and the onion's a little spicy too,

[05:48] Simple but good...

[05:51] And it's made quickly.

[05:52] On to the next!

[05:55] Xi'an by far has been one of my most

[05:59] But we can't leave Xi'an

[06:02] which also inspired a recipe that

[06:05] It is Biang Biang noodles.

[06:07] I named this my favorite noodle

[06:11] But now we're having it streetside

[06:14] This shop is legit.

[06:16] To operate a Biang Biang noodle shop,

[06:18] you need to have this official

[06:21] your credibility to serve.

[06:23] look at how this dude is

[06:25] We got some potential.

[06:27] and we're enjoying it

[06:29] One that is the short noodle,

[06:30] where they basically are tearing the

[06:33] And then one that is

[06:35] And it looks like the toppings

[06:37] This has like a chili oil, sesame,

[06:40] This one's similar,

[06:42] It's got a different chili powder

[06:44] And then it has like a

[06:47] Very traditional.

[06:48] That's what you're gonna say?

[06:49] Yeah.

[06:50] I'm eating, like,

[06:51] one of the best noodle dishes

[06:53] "Very traditional." "Very good."

[06:54] This is incredible!

[06:55] Flavor is genuinely perfect.

[06:57] Balanced, seasoned absolutely perfectly.

[06:59] The texture of the noodle is ridiculous.

[07:01] It's so chewy, but it's also,

[07:04] And the meat is tender.

[07:06] It's rich.

[07:07] Okay, on to the next one.

[07:08] It's wider than your belt.

[07:10] It's wider than my belt.

[07:11] You'll notice that I took my

[07:13] That's 'cause I've gained

[07:17] Wow!

[07:18] When I first saw the tomato,

[07:20] I don't need a marinara sauce.

[07:22] And what I realized was I was a

[07:25] All it is is a dispersion

[07:27] It just creates its own sauce.

[07:29] This looks really spicy;

[07:30] hardly spicy at all.

[07:31] This is more balanced than this because

[07:35] They're both perfectly evenly good.

[07:37] I would pick this one first because I

[07:40] If this was being produced in America,

[07:42] one of the best restaurants in the state.

[07:43] How about we open a restaurant

[07:46] You want to do it?

[07:46] Yeah sure.

[07:47] Okay.

[07:48] Okay deal.

[07:49] Done.

[07:50] Yeah, in Texas,

[07:52] that's a legally binding contract.

[07:54] Street food in Xi'an feels

[07:57] Every single thing just

[07:59] But now we turn the flavor

[08:02] a city who's famous for a particular

[08:07] slightly feared for its tingling,

[08:09] numbing qualities: the Sichuan peppercorn.

[08:11] And our food writer guide, Harry Li,

[08:13] is starting me off strong in Chengdu

[08:16] If you like Peking duck...

[08:17] Kind of hard to imagine anything better,

[08:19] if I'm being honest. But this duck

[08:22] Could this be better than

[08:25] So, it's a whole meal.

[08:26] Basically, you can order one portion.

[08:27] It's a family-style meal.

[08:29] You can sit down with three, four,

[08:32] For example,

[08:33] if you're a housewife and

[08:34] you just order one

[08:36] The whole family is all set.

[08:38] I'm the housewife!

[08:40] Let's go for it!

[08:42] This is absolutely incredible.

[08:44] There's so many different things in here.

[08:45] There's vegetables, there's cauliflower,

[08:49] There's even little tofu skin in here.

[08:51] And it kind of almost has

[08:53] If you've had hot pot before,

[08:54] you kind of get that

[08:56] right?

[08:57] You get a million experiences in one!

[08:59] This is like everything

[09:01] I don't need anything else.

[09:03] In comparison to, like,

[09:04] something like a Peking

[09:06] like, all these components—you have duck,

[09:08] you have the pancakes and the

[09:10] to me, way better.

[09:12] And this guy's doing it every

[09:14] I would come back to China just for this.

[09:16] One of the best family-style

[09:18] by far.

[09:20] Welcome to the family.

[09:21] Yes.

[09:22] It's hard to say that we're moving on,

[09:25] Let me be clear about something here:

[09:29] This was one of the better

[09:32] But I have a feeling we're

[09:35] Because next up is a legend in

[09:38] a famous baked pancake that looks simple,

[09:40] but it's cut in half and stuffed with

[09:44] of your choice.

[09:45] We had the beef and,

[09:48] a starch jelly.

[09:49] You can't knock it 'til you try it.

[09:51] Mm!

[09:54] Not at all.

[09:55] Super crispy on the outside,

[09:58] It's like a very soft noodle.

[10:00] Little bit of chew,

[10:01] and then all that

[10:03] like, coating your palate.

[10:05] If the oil's doing this,

[10:07] I'm learning, I'm learning.

[10:08] Okay, this is the beef one.

[10:10] This beef is, like, with some vegetables.

[10:13] This is gonna go straight

[10:16] Mmm!

[10:18] Almost like sliced steak.

[10:19] Oh, yeah, because they are braised.

[10:21] But it's not chewy at all.

[10:22] The meat is nice and tender.

[10:23] It's beefy, but, like, I love this oil.

[10:25] I like this one a little bit better

[10:28] more flavor from the meat.

[10:29] The meat plus that oil

[10:31] And it's not too spicy, but the crisp,

[10:36] so, so good!

[10:37] Moving on.

[10:38] We wrap up Chengdu here with a

[10:41] greatest bite in all of China,

[10:43] Supposedly, it hits all...

[10:45] but it's an old-school

[10:47] and at risk of going extinct.

[10:49] this is one of the last places in the

[10:53] What we have in here is called Tian

[10:58] The most traditional kind—

[11:00] of noodle in Chengdu.

[11:01] And you can see the

[11:03] They're, like,

[11:05] The smell, the aroma from this...

[11:07] you can't really describe it.

[11:09] It's just, like, toasted.

[11:11] It's sweet, it's spicy.

[11:13] It's very complicated.

[11:14] Shall we take a bite?

[11:16] Mm!

[11:17] This is an important dish.

[11:18] This is one of the few dishes that

[11:21] about the noodle that you're eating

[11:24] This is not coming out of a box.

[11:26] These are clearly being

[11:28] And they have such a presence when

[11:31] The first bite: all about the noodle.

[11:33] And then as you chew, all these,

[11:35] Literally all five tastes: salty, sweet,

[11:38] a little bit of bitterness

[11:40] So you're literally getting

[11:43] And there's no meat in here.

[11:44] There's no green onions to crunch on.

[11:46] It's all about the noodle.

[11:47] might be one of the best

[11:50] Some of these places are really popular,

[11:51] but what we're really looking for are

[11:54] people don't know about around the world?

[11:56] I mean, look around us.

[11:57] There's no, like,

[11:59] I mean, this is,

[12:00] but they're cooking it

[12:02] Actually, it's on the Michelin list.

[12:04] Oh, it is?

[12:05] Yeah.

[12:06] Wow!

[12:07] Incredible flavor.

[12:08] Not only was everything

[12:10] but also different than

[12:13] Each city is unique to itself,

[12:14] but if there's one city that

[12:17] possibly steal the spotlight,

[12:20] where people from all

[12:22] some of the most iconic street foods

[12:25] This, to me,

[12:28] It's from the north of China,

[12:31] a prolific local food writer,

[12:34] This is the luxe version of jianbing.

[12:37] If you're going to ever go

[12:40] this is 22 RMB, so maybe like just $3.

[12:43] I mean, $3 for this is crazy!

[12:45] So this has sausage, fried chicken,

[12:48] the youtiao,

[12:50] and basically a whole egg and sauce.

[12:53] One is a tianmianjiang,

[12:56] And then the other one's

[12:58] So many textures!

[12:59] Crunchy soft airy...

[13:01] And the seasoning on this is so good.

[13:03] You get a hint of sweetness

[13:05] I love that fragrant

[13:07] too.

[13:08] sweetens everything up in a

[13:11] so perfectly.

[13:13] My first concern was, "God,

[13:15] There's no way this is

[13:17] It's just going to be a fatty, heavy bite.

[13:18] But honestly, it's quite light.

[13:20] I could finish this

[13:21] This is awesome!

[13:22] I wish that I could have this

[13:24] You gotta make a video

[13:26] I don't feel confident enough in that.

[13:27] I need to work on that one for...

[13:29] for a minute, because this

[13:30] The sausage alone is, like,

[13:33] I love this.

[13:34] Jianbing is definitely a

[13:36] no doubt.

[13:37] But next up is a breakfast dish that

[13:40] and I have zero expectations.

[13:42] So this is doufuhua or doufunao,

[13:45] and this is a savory version.

[13:47] You can also get it sweet.

[13:49] And on top,

[13:52] scallions, pickled vegetables,

[13:55] So the best way to enjoy it is the combo.

[13:58] You have your youtiao, your fried cruller,

[14:02] Let it soak a little.

[14:03] Soak a little.

[14:05] Ooh, they're so airy!

[14:06] Like, when you bite into them,

[14:08] squeezes out all the juice.

[14:10] It looked like it was gonna be, like,

[14:12] It's very light tasting,

[14:14] Yeah.

[14:15] It's got, like,

[14:16] an earthy pickliness to

[14:17] But you get a little bit

[14:20] It's a little oily, it's a little fatty,

[14:23] It absorbs the liquid well.

[14:24] It's got so much air in it.

[14:25] It's more of a vehicle for

[14:28] Also, I love the little krill.

[14:30] adds a nice little uncomplicated

[14:33] like, overwhelmingly so.

[14:34] This is not too strong.

[14:35] So it's usually served warm.

[14:36] So in the morning, you want something,

[14:38] hot and warm and soothing to get

[14:41] This next one I know

[14:43] You got to hear me out.

[14:44] These are bao and dumplings

[14:46] I've always wanted to try.

[14:48] So, how do they taste?

[14:49] We have the seared bao,

[14:51] and then these are pot stickers,

[14:54] guotie.

[14:55] Goutie.

[14:56] Guotie.

[14:57] Guotie.

[14:59] I think you should start with the...

[15:00] So be careful.

[15:02] It's called shengjian

[15:05] Sheng meaning raw,

[15:09] So inside is like a meatball

[15:13] more like juicy.

[15:14] Some places use a leavened dough so

[15:18] the steam cooks the top while the

[15:22] Mmm!

[15:23] The crustiness on the sear is so good.

[15:25] It's so crisp and almost

[15:27] And the top is more like dumpling skin.

[15:28] It gets thinner as you go to the top,

[15:30] and the actual meat on the

[15:33] It's kind of like the classic

[15:35] It's nice.

[15:37] Very, very good.

[15:38] There's no way you're eating one

[15:41] like, in a huge rush.

[15:42] So these are guotie, aka pot stickers,

[15:45] and they're cooked in the same

[15:48] Put them into the cast iron,

[15:50] and then you close them to

[15:53] They're also probably filled

[15:56] Hot hot hot hot hot.

[15:58] no!

[16:00] We lost one!

[16:01] Honestly, this is totally different.

[16:03] It feels a little more flavor dense.

[16:06] So hot!

[16:06] We paid a dollar to fill ourselves

[16:09] You can see how juicy and filled they are.

[16:11] Somehow this retained way more juice.

[16:13] Similar flavors, similar textures.

[16:14] It's all the same stuff in there.

[16:16] I actually like these just a little more

[16:19] that juice and losing less of the flavor,

[16:20] whereas these kind of

[16:22] But they're both incredibly delicious.

[16:24] The next dish is exactly what this

[16:27] I've never heard of it.

[16:28] It looks simple, and wow,

[16:29] did it impress me.

[16:30] Okay, so this place is known for cai fan,

[16:35] Porky.

[16:36] It's cooked in lard,

[16:38] which look a little cured.

[16:39] Little bit of mushroom, onion,

[16:43] It actually smells very, like,

[16:45] which I'm excited about.

[16:46] And they also cook it in this cast iron,

[16:48] soaks up all the flavor as well.

[16:51] Oh wow.

[16:52] It's not too much at all.

[16:53] I was thinking, like,

[16:55] This is going to be too

[16:57] There's so many textures in this.

[16:58] I thought I bit into a piece of pork fat.

[17:00] The mushroom was cooked in so much

[17:04] it just releases this juicy, deep,

[17:06] You have bits of cured pork in there that

[17:10] Also, how's the texture of the rice?

[17:11] Because you can see they're

[17:13] right?

[17:14] It's cooked so perfectly.

[17:16] It's perfectly al dente,

[17:18] You could count the rice.

[17:19] And they don't clump together.

[17:20] So that's what makes it really good.

[17:22] Out of all the rice dishes I've had,

[17:25] A lot of mixed rice dishes become very

[17:28] It's all kind of one fluid flavor

[17:31] dish as the rice gets coated

[17:33] that, and the other.

[17:36] every little flavor in

[17:38] Really unusual and really fun.

[17:39] And also super simple,

[17:40] because all of these ingredients

[17:43] Honestly,

[17:44] this is a top-tier choice

[17:46] Simple and good.

[17:48] Shanghai is like magic.

[17:50] Simple dishes made with a shocking

[17:53] don't see that much anymore.

[17:55] China has continued to surprise me every

[18:00] search of China's best street food.

[18:02] And here we are.

[18:03] Chongqing China.

[18:05] People call this place the "cyberpunk

[18:09] As soon as the sun goes down,

[18:11] this place turns into some

[18:15] LED...

[18:15] light show that I have

[18:18] To be honest,

[18:20] but at the same time,

[18:21] I'm so bewildered I might

[18:23] right?

[18:24] So it's only fitting that our guide's

[18:27] But would the food here be

[18:30] It's raining outside.

[18:31] This is still a street food,

[18:32] so we're sitting inside

[18:34] Thank you for being here with me today.

[18:35] My pleasure.

[18:36] Can you tell me about this dish?

[18:38] This is what we call You Cha.

[18:39] It's the most tremendous tea in the world.

[18:42] It's tea, but it's not drinking tea,

[18:45] So what we have is on the top

[18:48] the bottom is the...

[18:50] We got the crunchiness.

[18:51] We also have the hearty

[18:54] So we mix them together.

[18:55] This is a very retro, nostalgic...

[18:58] This is the food my

[19:00] I still remember when I,

[19:02] I would have this before go to school.

[19:04] And this is all carbs.

[19:06] This whole trip has

[19:07] I've been having to try and outrun

[19:10] and it's been impossible.

[19:12] Oh, wow, it's so good!

[19:13] It is the pickled vegetable

[19:17] So smart!

[19:18] It's like, creamy,

[19:19] just melts in your mouth.

[19:20] The congee's perfectly cooked.

[19:21] It's not too thin, it's not too thick.

[19:24] It's got that, like, unctuousness to it.

[19:26] Just a little spicy,

[19:28] I love the little flecks of crunch.

[19:30] the thing that makes this special

[19:33] from the pickled vegetable.

[19:34] This is one of those things where I

[19:37] it from afar and they're like,

[19:38] "Well, how good is it really?

[19:39] It looks a little boring,"

[19:41] One of my favorite bites so far, actually.

[19:43] I love the simplicity of this.

[19:44] But it's not our last item.

[19:46] On the way to our next stop,

[19:49] Yeb-a-yang-yang.

[19:50] Yeb-a-yang-yang.

[19:51] I don't see your passion there.

[19:54] Zai Tim Bao.

[19:55] Chi Bao Gua.

[19:56] Chi Bao Gua.

[20:02] Welcome to Chongqing.

[20:03] What did I just say?

[20:05] That your aunt was hit by lightning

[20:11] eating this pie.

[20:14] I can't tell you how hyped

[20:17] Finally, a dancing wok on the street.

[20:19] This is what I've been looking for.

[20:20] They had choices of meats, veggies,

[20:23] I loaded up a bowl.

[20:24] Hopefully this is the

[20:26] He snatched the bowl out of my hand.

[20:27] I'm going to assume that I'm on the right

[20:30] I didn't know it was going to happen.

[20:31] You know,

[20:33] We lost Ryan.

[20:34] I saw fried rice,

[20:36] Except I realized that

[20:38] I'm not 100% what I got,

[20:40] but I do know I got

[20:42] so I'm excited.

[20:43] And also, this is only $2,

[20:44] For all of this.

[20:45] He double-checked if I wanted chilies

[20:48] And I was like, "Don't worry,

[20:49] I'm different." I could tell by the

[20:52] that this was going to be good.

[20:53] Oh, yeah, that is so good.

[20:55] The flavor is just so deep.

[20:57] It's seasoned really nicely.

[20:59] The rice is cooked really beautifully,

[21:01] It's not overcooked.

[21:02] And the twice-cooked pork is just so

[21:05] And he slices it like, kind of,

[21:07] which normally I would

[21:09] but I like that.

[21:10] I bite into one piece of pork:

[21:13] I bite into another one:

[21:15] This is a beautiful bowl of fried rice,

[21:16] You shouldn't have missed this one, dude.

[21:18] In China in general,

[21:20] you're gonna see a lot of different

[21:23] sorts of things like that...

[21:24] But this place is different.

[21:25] When he's grilling his meat skewers,

[21:28] It looks good.

[21:29] And then all of a sudden, flamethrower!!

[21:35] It's an incredible show.

[21:36] Yeah, it's a presentation.

[21:38] These are beef skewers.

[21:39] Why don't you grab one and

[21:43] Oh, it's actually good.

[21:44] actually surprisingly good.

[21:45] It's really

[21:46] This was a surprising one because

[21:49] It's seasoned really well.

[21:51] Got some numbing spice in there.

[21:52] It's got a lot of the

[21:54] Across Chongqing.

[21:55] Joshua mentioned there was a lot of...

[21:57] But actually,

[21:59] there's a lot

[22:00] and sometimes you just take

[22:02] Mmm...

[22:03] Just avoid carbs.

[22:04] That's physically impossible.

[22:06] We've done the opposite

[22:07] What happens if you eat the carbs?

[22:09] Some people, they like it.

[22:10] Ketogenic people, they also like it.

[22:12] It's for everybody.

[22:14] Thank you, Ryan.

[22:16] My pleasure.

[22:17] But that said,

[22:19] So our journey ends here in Chongqing,

[22:21] one of the greatest cities I've ever seen.

[22:24] That's surreal.

[22:25] But the crazy part is we've barely

[22:28] There's so many cities and foods

[22:31] we didn't even eat at.

[22:32] We just got a little taste.

[22:33] And yet I had some of the

[22:36] And it wasn't on a white linen tablecloth.

[22:37] It wasn't in a

[22:39] I maybe spent a hundred

[22:41] but instead,

[22:43] If you're gonna go somewhere

[22:45] you might want to consider going to China.

[22:46] And if you're gonna go somewhere in China,

[22:49] Subscribe.

[22:50] See you next time.

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