Qinghai Lake Dining
Plan Qinghai Lake (Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture) food culture tour? Qinghai Lake Dining introduces Qinghai Lake Food and Restaurants including Qinghai Lake Cuisine, Restaurants in Qinghai Lake, Qinghai Lake Snacks, What to Eat in Qinghai Lake and Where to Eat in Qinghai Lake.
Qinghai Lake is not as convenient as a big city in terms of food and beverage, but there are many restaurants along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. There are also restaurants to choose from in the scenic spots.
What to Eat at Qinghai Lake
Residents around Qinghai Lake are mainly Tibetans and Hui, and their diet is mostly Tibetan cuisine and halal food, mainly dough pieces, noodles, beef and mutton. If you stay in a Tibetan gesthouse, you can also taste Tibetan delicacies such as Zanba, Yogurt and buttered tea. The Han cuisine in Qinghai Lake is mainly Sichuan cuisine with rich flavor. There are many restaurants in all villages and towns along the lake, but there are not many special dishes, most of which are beef and mutton.
Hand-grabbed Mutton 手抓羊肉
Hand-grabbed mutton, also called Hand-picked mutton, is one of the most popular foods for Inner Mongolian people, and derives its name from the habit of eating with the hands. The cooking process is very simple: cut the mutton into handy chunks, boil them in cold water, skim off the fat from the soup, and seasoning to taste and then boil until they are nearly well-done. You can try it in most of the restaurants in Ordos.
Noodles with Mutton Sausage 羊肠面
This definitely ranks first among the most famous local specialties and snacks in Xining. Each bowl of sausage noodles is served with a small bowl of soup, some of which will be added with pepper. Pour the soup into the noodles, stir it up and take a sip, then the thick smell of mutton will permeate your mouth. It can be served cold in summer and hot in winter. The sausages are thin and crisp. The stuffing inside is very soft, with unique flavor and good taste. Recommend food shop for this dish is the Ma Zhong Sausage Noodles (马忠羊肠面) in Mojia Street in Xining.
Boiled Innards Soup/Zasui Tang 杂碎汤
Its unique flavor has made it the traditional breakfast of Hui ethnic group. It is composed of not only the meat of the lamb but also the gut, head, lungs, and other entrails of other animals such as sheep. In order to get rid of the different taste of some of the ingredients, the soup uses a lot of oil. Thus, it’s normal to see it right in your bowl. Nevertheless, it’s cooked deliciously, inner organs of lamb and oxen are shredded and then thoroughly boiled in a soup stock with seasonings such as salt, green onion, ginger, garlic, etc. It’s even served very early in the morning.
Ga Mian Pian 尕面片
Ga Mian Pian (noodle slices) are the most common and unique food among Qinghai people. It is easy to prepare a dish of Ga Mian Pian. After cold water and good flour are kneaded and stretched into strips, they are then pulled into a piece as big as a "nail cover" and put into a pan. Pour it with clear mutton soup, add diced mutton, tomatoes and green radish slices; Beef, mutton slices, tofu, vermicelli and vegetables can also be added. In Qinghai, it can be said that every shop has essential noodles.
Yoghourt 酸奶
Yoghourt is a must-try when you travel in Xining. Different from what we often find in supermarket, Yoghourt of Xining is often in a solid state. However, it is extremely fresh and tender with a layer of cream on the surface. The flavor is fresh and appetite-boosting.
Tsampa (糌粑)
Zanba/Tsampa is one of the traditional staple food of Tibetan herdsmen. In fact, it is the highland barley fried noodles, and is the staple food that Tibetan people must eat every day. Zanba is the flour ground from highland barley. When eating, mix the highland barley flour with yak butter tea, milk residue and sugar evenly, then knead into a ball with your hands. It is not only convenient to eat, rich in nutrition, high heat, very suitable for stopping hunger and resisting cold, but also easy to carry and storage. When visiting a Tibetan family, the host will certainly serve the fragrant buttered tea and highland barley fried noodles.
Buttered Tea (酥油茶)
It is the main drink of Tibet. In the winter, you can dispel cold. If you feel starved, you can satisfy your hunger; if you are sleepy, buttered tea can assist you in relieve from fatigue. Hospitable Tibetans often entertain guests with this tea, so you are suggested not refusing them, otherwise you are considered impolite.
Recommended Restaurants Near Qinghai Lake
1. Laomashi Roasted Mutton and Pasta Food Restaurant老马师烤羊肉面食馆
Address: No. 32, South Street, Gangcha County 刚察县南大街32号
Tel: 0970-8653905;0970-8651030
2.Xining Majia Shifu Restaurant 西宁马家食府
Address: National Highway 109, Gonghe County 共和县109国道
Tel: /
3. Sanjiangyuan Food Store 三江源美食城
Address: No. 52, Qinghai-Tibet Road, Gonghe County 共和县青藏路52号
Tel: /
4. Sanshengtu Hot Pot 三升土火锅
Address: No. 176, West Lake-ring Road, Gonghe County 共和县环湖西路176号
Tel: /
5. Laoweidao Sichuan Food Restaurant老味道私房菜馆
Address: 50 meters north, Intersection of Jiquan Road and Reshui Road 泉吉路与热水路交叉口北50米
Tel: 0970-8653987
6. Mama Sichuan Food Restaurant妈妈川菜
Address: 50 meters north, National Highway 109, Gonghe County共和县109国道北50米
Tel: /
7. Juxiangyuan Food Store 聚香园美食城
Address: No. 232, Yuanzicheng Pedestrian Street, Xihai Town, Haiyan County 海晏县西海镇原子城步行街232号
Tel: /
