Living in China full time, leaves one hankering for some alternative cuisine on occasion. Most coffee shops (code word for western restaurant) serve up a Chinese version of western recipes, however you would never mistake it for what mama used to make.

Follow up:

The Ba Chaia restaurant is a favorite spot for some tasty Japanese food. Located adjacent to the biggest hotel in the city (also one of the tallest buildings, it’s very easy to find. Constructed on two levels the first floor is reserved for private dining rooms, while the upper is a traditional open restaurant seating. As one of the few non Chinese restaurants in the city I have dined here on several occasions. I usually settle for the Tempura chicken or the excellent beef bento box meal. Qing Zhen likes to enjoy the caviar crusted sushi rolls. On this wintery January morning we decide to go for the Hot Pot dinner.

This delicious dish is cooked up at the table with a small propane hotplate. Our waitress brought the propane hotplate and proceed to heat up a savory miso broth, adding chunks of large onion slices to the mix. Then a platter with paper thin slices of beef along with a platter full of raw greens, string mushrooms, and chunks of tofu are produced. From there your on your own. After the broth archived a slow boil we turned down the propane a bit and added single shares of vegetables, mushrooms and beef to the simmering broth. After about five minutes the the beef was cooked and the vegetables were tender. We served our selves in bowls and enjoyed a very tasty miso stew of tender beef slices, vegetables and tofu. Just the Miso broth alone would have been very good mixed with the veggies and beef this was an warm and satisfying meal.

We enjoyed or meal in a large dinning area with a view of the bustling street below. The dining room also features an open grill where busy cooks prepared stir fry and other dishes to the customers delight.

Lunch was topped of with an ice cold Ashia beer and complementary hot tea. Total cost was 37 Yuan, about $5 US dollars. As with most things in China "Quite the bargain"

Hot Pot dinner at the Ba Chian Restaurant in Taishan City. It’s Delicious!!

Ba Chaia restaurant - Taishan city