Eat in Qingdao
Qingdao cuisine is the Chinese northern cooking (Shandong) which is very different from the Cantonese cooking I used to. In Cantonese cuisine the ingredients are well balanced and not greasy. Apart from that, Cantonese dishes use less spice or herbs, more subtle in favour, often stream, and stir-fry. Qingdao is well known its excellent seafood dishes and delicious soup most dishes are usually deep-fried, braised, roasted or stewed with a strong emphasis on soy sauce, shallots, garlic and chili they are more hearty and spicier than Cantonese dishes.
One day, I was out with a native of Qingdao and went to a local restaurant in the old town area. The restaurant is a simple neighborhood restaurant with three tables inside and two outside with tanks of live fishes and seafood display outside.
My new friend he is a vegetarian so we ordered four vegetarian dishes and I was told they are all Shandong dishes. First came a huge bowl of tomato and egg white soup. Then follow with fried egg plant, stir fry squid with mixed vegetable and fish. The fish was one of the live ones from the tank outside. Although I am not a fan of egg plant but the deep fried egg plant dish was delicious and I couldn’t stop myself eating it. The sauces were stronger and darker with more oil than the Cantonese dishes but all the dishes are all excellent and very fresh,
I ate more than I should and but when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite my new friend suggested we order a free soup! Turn out he is friend with this little restaurant and he knew they make a soup with the left over fish bone and offer it with no charge.
It was the best fish soup I ever had. A great soup to end this wonderful meal which the total cost was less than $15!
alfredngdesign 