Over the course of two and a half hours on Saturday, Sept 14 at 2pm, we will learn about the history of these storied pastries, while also getting hands-on by making two types of pastries: savory Suzhou & sweet Cantonese styles.

To broaden your mooncake horizons, we will also sample some of Shanghai’s most famous mooncakes with different fillings. Savory stuffings will include the classic Jiangnan pure, that hella trendy salted duck egg, and bamboo with minced pork, while sweet will include red bean & cranberry, coconut & butter, passionfruit, and lotus. To bring this ancient holiday into the modern world, we will also be sampling the latest in mooncakes: Strictly Cookies’ limited edition Mookies. This mooncake-cookie hybrid brings together the best of both worlds in surprising flavor combinations (Chestnut + Sichuan Peppercorn, anyone?).

There are only 10 spots available, so book yours now by clicking here!

Price: US$85 per person

Date: Saturday, Sept 14

Time: 2-4:30pm

Join Our Other Tours During Mid-Autumn Festival

We will also be open the whole holiday long in Shanghai, so if you are in town and cannot make it to our Mooncake Cooking Class, join us on any of our other tours where we will of course be sampling mooncakes along the tour route. And don’t forget: if you book more than one tour, you receive our multi-tour discount!

The post Mid-Autumn Festival Special – Mooncake Cooking Class & Tasting in Shanghai! appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

Leave your details below to stay in the loop.

The post Hangzhou Food Tours – Coming Soon! appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

How to say ‘hot and sour stir-fried potatoes’ in Mandarin Chinese

What is it?

For those who are unsure about intense spices, tǔ dòu sī, is a great first step into the flavors of northern China. This simple and delicious dish consists of thinly sliced potatoes (tǔ dòu, literally “earth bean”) and bell peppers stir-fried hot and fast with chilies in oil then finished with vinegar, giving it a mild sour and slightly spicy flavor. Tǔ dòu sī is very common, and you might even find a version wrapped in pastry from a local street vendor to enjoy on the go.

Where to find tǔ dòu sī in Shanghai:
Yu Li Hunan Restaurant 御鲤湘
北京西路1135号(陕西北路与北京西路交叉口)
1135 Beijing West Road (the intersection of Shaanxi North Road and Beijing West Road)
Metro: Line 2/12/13 – West Nanjing Rd.

Where to find tǔ dòu sī in Beijing:
Zhang Mama
76 Jiaodaokou South Street, near Daxing Hutong
交道口南大街76号 近大兴胡同
+86 18811195778
Metro: Line 5 – Beixinqiao

More Foodie Flashcard Fun:

Xiaolongbao
XL Potstickers
Preserved Mustard Greens Bread
Face Bacon
Red-Braised Pork
Scallion Pancakes
Potstickers
Cowpea Noodles
Steamed Buns
Chinese Burger
Stinky Tofu
Roasted Chestnuts
Soup Dumplings
Wontons
Hotpot

The post Foodie Flashcards: Hot and Sour Potatoes appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

Vegetarians need not shy away though – there are plenty of tasty meat-free options. We’ve put together an ordering guide for our valued vegetarian foodies to help you navigate the extensive menu. Here are some of our favorite vegetarian dishes at Old Jesse.

Vegetarian Ordering Guide in Pictures

Braised Noodles with Scallion Oil (A delicious Shanghai classic and not to be missed)

Braised Wheat Bean (braised wheat gluten with peanuts and mushrooms)

Eggplant Pot (braised eggplant in fish-fragrant (no actual fish here) sauce with chili, garlic, spring onion, and ginger)

Dried Beancurd with Parsley (a simple, cold appetizer – thinly-sliced tofu with mild flavors)

Wine Sugar Pea (sautéed pea shoots)

Dried Bamboo Shoots Noodles (crispy young bamboo atop delicious noodles)

Quick note on Shanghai Vegetable Rice: This name is deceiving — watch out! There’s meat hiding in this dish.

The menu has English descriptions in addition to Chinese characters, so don’t worry if you don’t know your 年高 from your 年糕 yet.

Address: 41 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Lu; 天平路41号近淮海中路
Metro: Line 11, Jiao Tong University
Telephone: +86 21 6282 9260
Hours: 11am-2:30am

There’s so much more for vegetarians to discover in Shanghai! Check out our other veg blogs for more recommendations and useful phrases. If you’re looking for a further Shanghai foodie experience, join our Night Eats or Street Eats Breakfast where you’ll discover exciting flavors, hidden gems, and new favorites. We gladly accommodate dietary restrictions. Happy (meat-free) eating!

The post Old Jesse – A Vegetarian Ordering Guide appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

Baijia Dayuan 白家大院

A treasure from the 17th century, Baijia Dayuan used to be Prince Li’s garden. Just like the Gong Wang Fu in Xicheng, it is one of Beijing’s enduringly famous sights. Even before walking into the restaurant, you can already feel the atmosphere of old Beijing. Waitstaff wear impressive, richly hued Qing Dynasty attire, welcoming you at the grand courtyard entrance.

Baijia Dayuan’s specialty is imperial cuisines — you’re eating what they used to serve the emperor and empresses of the Qing Dynasty. We think the service is exceptional because you’re getting an experience of dining like a royal with a little help of modern technology, ordering on an iPad, of course. For an extra little something-something, during dinner there is a Peking opera performance in the restaurant.

Address: Inside Lejia Garden, 15 Suzhou Jie, Haidian District
海淀区苏州街15号乐家花园内
Hours: 10:30 to 21:30
Number: 010-62658851
Price: $$$

Central Perk 老友记主题店

The American TV show Friends is not only a big hit in the States but is also extremely popular in China. The show’s main hangout spot, Central Perk Café, doesn’t only exist in the studio – there’s a working replica in Beijing. Owner Du Xin, who describes the show as his religion, has slavishly recreated every aspect of its iconic style.

With the classic orange couch, the Central Perk sign on the window, and the brick walls full of posters, Du has made the iconic set of his favorite show into a reality, sharing it with other fans of Friends in China. Additionally, there is a TV running the show on a loop with Chinese subtitles as long as it’s open.

Here you can find a specially designed menu that matches storylines from the show as well, including cheesecake (like the one Rachel and Chandler steal from their neighbor!) and more. It’s so much like the set of Friends, you’ll find yourself waiting for Gunther to pop his blonde head up from behind the counter.

Address: Room 0616 A Building Chaowai SOHO, No.6 Yi Chaoyang Menwai Main Street, Chaoyang District
朝外大街乙6号朝外SOHO A座0606室
Hours: 12:00 to 22:00
Number: 18010484636
Price: $

Old Dock Restaurant 老船坞

Most hotel restaurants can be expensive and boring, offering the same range of lackluster dishes, but the Old Dock Restaurant will surprise you. The restaurant is inspired by waterside towns, so you will have a meal to remember in a floating boat.

In the lobby, there are four black-awning boats that server as private dining rooms. Docked alongside the bank, they wobble slightly when you get in, which makes you feel like you are on an actual river, and the interior decor perfectly fits old Chinese water town style. Menu offerings here are authentic Chaozhou and Cantonese cuisine.

Address: 8 Xinzhong Xi Jie, Gongti Bei Lu, Dongcheng （Located on 1/F of Asia Hotel）
工体北路新中西街8号亚洲大酒店1层
Hours: 11:00 to 14:00; 17:00 to 22:00
Number：010-65007788
Price: $$$

8 Hot Pot 号苑秘制火锅80后主题店

8 Hot Pot is the perfect place to hang out with group of friends who grew up in the 1980s or 90s, or just with that friend who seems to have not grown up yet. The decoration is a replica of a 1980s Chinese classroom with two blackboards featuring 80s drawings and the manager dressed as a middle school teacher who sits in front of the classroom.

The official policy is that patrons need to have be born in the 80s or the 90s. Luckily, they haven’t ever tried to enforce that rule. You order food from the test sheet with multiple-choice questions. They serve up Sichuan style hotpot, with the pot in the middle of the table, and you can pick two spice levels at the same time.

Address: 172 Deshengme Xi street, Xicheng
德胜门西大街172号
Hours: 17:00 to 23:300
Number: 010-66088880
Price: $

Trojan Fairy 木马童话黑暗餐厅

Trojan Fairy is the only restaurant on our list that doesn’t serve Chinese food. It has two parts: one is just a normal Japanese BBQ place, and the other, which is what we recommend, serves French food in total darkness! The basic concept of eating in the dark is that with no vision, the other senses — smell, taste, touch — are enhanced and thus, gastronomic pleasure should also increase.

Make sure to sit close and keep the conversation to a whisper, because you can also hear better in complete darkness. The restaurant offers a few set menus that they change seasonally. Unfortunately, the restaurant’s savings on the electricity bill don’t translate to charging you less. A four-course meal clocks in at approximately RMB 600 — totally worth it though.

Address: 8/F, Hunqing Mansion, 109 Xidan Bei Da Jie, Xicheng
西单北大街109号西友谊酒店8楼
Hours：17:00 to 23:30
Number: 15210674978
Price: $$$

For more Beijing restaurant recommendations, check out our other blog posts here!

The post 5 Must-Try Themed Restaurants in Beijing appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

Integrate Learning Into Your Social Media

There’s so many great accounts on Instagram (but you gotta get that VPN first!), and we love Twisted Mandarin for their themed posts. Whether they’re showing you the common thread between four different characters:

Or just breaking down our favorite fruits:

They make the visual learning of characters fun – and make your Instagram scroll a little more productive.

Looking for a food-focused lesson? Follow our official WeChat by scanning the QR code below and get a weekly Foodie Flashcard to learn the names of your fav dishes in both pinyin and characters. Just scan below and you’ll be ready to get your 手抓饭 the next time you head to the Friday Muslim Market.

Also on WeChat is Official Account 故事FM. For more advanced learners of Chinese, they offer short but interesting articles as well as a radio show / podcast (under 故事FM in all your podcast apps) to keep you using your Mandarin reading and listening skills daily.

Take Some Classes – With Discounts!

Mandarin Community Chinese School is opening on June 1 and they are offering small group classes (no more than 3 per class!) catered to levels that offers insight not just into the language, but also the culture (hey hey – food!) of China. For newcomers, their “China Life Skills” classes can especially helpful, as they include things like understanding the visa system, learning how to open a bank account, or even learning about the process of opening your own business.

Go to their opening party on June 1 from 10am – 4pm at 2F, 212 West Beijing Road and get 30% off your classes! 北京西路212号2层。If you cannot make it to the party, you can also email mandarincommunityinfo@gmail.com before June 1 to claim the discount.

Web: https://mandarincommunity.net/

Download a (Free) App

Vocab & Grammar: Duolingo offers excellent Mandarin lessons for those who want to improve their basic vocab and grammar.

Reading: The Chairman’s Bao offers real news translated by HSK level, so whether you’re just starting out or are practically fluent, you can practice your reading skills while also learning about modern China. Win win!

Translation: Nothing beats Google Translate for a quick look, including camera functionality you can hover over words to translate (although this is done very literally and can offer amusing translations at times).

加油同学们！

The post Tips for Learning Chinese in Shanghai appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

With the average monthly pay of 2018 college graduates in China currently standing at 5,429 RMB ($US 810), the question above has been tossed around in a teasing, perhaps mocking tone. So, are those jianbing business success stories actually true and easily achievable or just another fairy tale?

As a small-scale shop in food and beverage retail, the jianbing vendors are business enterprises, but also operate in a fully closed ecosystem, making them easier to analyze through empirical research.

The effective business hours are short, the production is not standardized, and the product’s price is low but also highly elastic. However, according to the evidence gathered by the researches, it appears that it is not as easy to make money by operating as a small jianbing stall as people are claiming.

And if you add “store rental and renovation costs” and “labor costs,” then the entire financial model cannot support chain expansion, so it is quite difficult to create a brand with multiple locations.

Add to that the constant fear of getting shut down by city officials to the list of threats that can also affect a vendor’s bottom line and long-term stability. Many people mistakenly believe that jianbing stalls have no fixed costs with a high-profit margin – but lets take a look at the facts.

Show me the Money!

Liu, one of the Jianbing vendors interviewed, has been operating a jianbing stall for the past 14 years in Lujiazui, Shanghai’s “Wall Street”. He is from Linyi, a small city (population: 11 million) in Shandong province where the jianbing’s origins lie.

While the average Jianbing production time is two minutes, Liu can do it in 40 seconds. Despite this, his revenue is constant around 15,000 RMB. He said:” I never ever dreamed about earning 30,000 RMB. One jianbing costs 5 or 6 Yuan, so even making 100 a day, even counting the weekends, I’m making less than 20,000 RMB/month.” His wife started another Jianbing vendor 50 meters apart from Liu and is using the same ingredients, dough, and sauce, which Liu prepares daily. However, he claims that every day she makes only about half as many sales, and therefore can just break even.

Jianbing Profit Margins

Taking the stats up a notch, the authors of the study introduce the key retail formula: Net sales = Customer base * Conversion Rate * Sales price.

Most of Jianbing stalls are open from 6am to 10am (in Shanghai), with the rush time from 7 to 9am in the morning. In a workday from 7:30 to 10 in the morning, they recorded there were 7,000 people who walked by Liu’s stall, and he sold 120 jianbings, so the conversion rate is only 1.7%.

Now, what’s the cost of a jianbing: mixed dough 0.4, fried wonton skin 0.3, egg 0.46, (chili sauce + hoisin + cilantro + scallions, 0.3), so total is 1.46, the profit margin is about 70%

120*22*5*.7 = 9,240

It’s a Jianbing Fairytale

In conclusion, jianbing stalls making 30,000 RMB per month is a wonderful fairy tale that we would all like to be true. We really do wish our vendors the best, they do work hard and wake up SUPER early to prepare the ingredients. But again, it appears that this really is one internet rumor that has little bearing on reality.

How about we get creative with some new jianbing ventures? We’re thinking espresso/jianbing pop ups, @flybyjing chili sauces to pump up the volume and depth of umami flavors, and late-night jianbing windows at our favorite bars. At the very least, you can sample jianbing on our Beijing Hutong Breakfast or Shanghai Street Eats Breakfast tours!

In the meantime, better not quit your day job to open a jianbing stall just yet…

This article is adapted and translated from this original post:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ebgEy7-SmYw35dgYG5nKIg (Chinese)

The post Does Your Local Jianbing Vendor Earn More Than You? appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

The post Shanghainese Restaurants For Every Budget appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

First off, let’s take a look at some of the jianbing ingredients that are usually present in the standard jianbing.

Standard Jianbing Ingredients in China

葱 cōng – scallions

香菜  xiāng cài – cilantro/coriander

甜面酱 tián miàn jiàng – sweet bean sauce

辣椒 là jiāo  – chili paste

薄脆 báo cuì – fried wonton skin

鸡蛋 jī dàn – (chicken) egg

Optional Jianbing Ingredients

香肠 -xiāng cháng  – “sausage”

鸡肉 jī ròu – chicken

生菜 -shēng cài  – lettuce

油条 yóu tiáo – Chinese crueler (fried dough)

Useful Verbs For Ordering Jianbing

要加 yào jiā- want to add

不要 bu yào  – don’t want

多加 duōj jiā – add extra

少放 shǎo fàng – add just a little…

Now, Let’s Order a Jianbing

师傅，拿一个煎饼 Shīfu, ná yi ge jiānbing.

Mrs/Ms, I’d like one jiānbing.

师傅，拿一个煎饼 Shīfu, nái yi ge jiānbing. 

Mrs/Ms, I’d like a jiānbing.”

Counting on one Hand in China

Making Phrases With Verb + Ingredient

不要辣椒bù yào làjiāo – I don’t want chili

要加鸡肉 yào jiā jīròu – I want to add chicken

Hand Over the Money  (6-15 RMB/$1-2 – 2019 prices）

多少钱? Duō shǎo qián? – How much is it?

谢谢  xièxiè – Thanks

Congratulations, you did it! If you’ve been wanting to improve your Chinese, we always encourage starting with food vocabulary and menus as a starting point – after all, you have to eat three times a day, and the language experts encourage learning material that you’re interested in. Food, language, BINGO!

If you’re looking for the best jianbing in China, join us on a Shanghai Street Eats Breakfast food tour or Beijing Hutong Breakfast culinary adventure, where we sample jianbing and loads of other traditional Chinese street snacks. Or check out our handy online jianbing locator.

The post Essential Vocabulary for Ordering Jianbing appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.

Old Beijing Yogurt 老北京奶酪 (or 酸奶 suān nǎi – translates directly as sour milk) is prepared by heating milk and adding sugar to it. A special device called lào tǒng (酪桶 yogurt barrel) is used during production. A lào tǒng contains a heat chamber in the center, providing the heat needed for cooking. The milk is mixed with rice wine and honey or sugar and is rapidly poured into smaller containers. The bowls are then stacked along the inner wall of the yogurt barrel, heated for about thirty minutes, and later cooled.

We taste the authentic version on our popular Old Beijing Dinner Tour, but it’s so good, you might want to make it at home after the tour. Read on!

INGREDIENTS

• Whole Milk
• Starter Culture: Unsweetened greek yogurt or sneak few bottle of Old Beijing Yogurt home
• Sweet Fermented Rice
• Honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Ratio of Milk, Culture and Sweet Fermented Rice wine should be 4: 0.5: 0.5. However if you can’t find the rice wine, you could skip it and make the mike/culture ratio to 4 to 1.
2. Clean your tools – you don’t want rogue bacteria floating around to compete with the good variety in the yogurt culture. Take the time to sterilize/boil everything.
3. Heat the milk with low heat to just before the boiling point. This helps make a richer end product, and kills any bad bacteria in the milk.
4. Cool the milk to 43-45°C or 110-115°F
5. Set your oven to its lowest temperature usually 75°C or 170°F
6. Mix some of cooled milk and yogurt and rice wine together until fully incorporated. Pour back into the pot of milk and stir to combine.
7. Strain and pour the yogurt mixture into storage containers with a lid
8. Place the filled containers into the oven for 20 minutes; turn off the oven and leave the light on. Keep the yogurt in for 5-10 hours for fermentation. The longer the fermentation process, the more sour the taste.
9. Remove the yogurt from the oven, and store in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Add honey to your taste.
10. Save some of your homemade yogurt to use as the starter culture of your next batch! No more buying yogurt at the stores

To experience the real deal Old Beijing-style yogurt, join our Old Beijing Dinner Tour, to sample 15+ on a 3-hour culinary adventure.

The post UnTour’s Old Beijing-Style Yogurt Recipe appeared first on UnTour Food Tours.