I’m all for unconventional date night ideas, and this is a tasty one. Lost Plate Food Tour’s name is pretty straightforward. They’re a food tour company based in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and South East Asia, and they’ve found some of the city’s tastiest eateries.
While their signature tuk-tuk dinner tour is fun, it’s a bit cold and for us Beijing based expats, the novelty of tuk-tuks is best left for those warm summer days. So I recently taste-tested the new Lost Plate Flavors of China restaurant tour which takes you through different regions of China, showcasing the lesser-known dishes. Even as a self-proclaimed Beijing foodie who frequents local restaurants on a regular basis, there were dishes that I’ve never seen before and hearing the story of how these dishes originated from our tour guide, Lost Plate founder Ruixi Hu, was an added bonus.
The first stop of the night takes you to China’s Xinjiang region – a place that’s rich in culture and land, and loves to barbecue. After filling up on big plate chicken, skewers, and naan (which I learned was actually invented in China), we hopped in the air-conditioned van and headed off to the next destination.
Following a meaty Xinjiang dinner, we paid a visit to the first Yunnan restaurant in Beijing. While the most popular Yunnan dishes are eggs and jasmine flower or pineapple rice, Lost Plate opted for the lesser-known stuff like pig elbow pancakes and cross bridge rice noodles. Yunnan cuisine tends to rely more on the freshness of the ingredients rather than spices. We heard the story of how Yunnan’s cross bridge rice noodles were invented by a loving wife who was trying to find a way to keep her husband’s lunch warm. What a sweetie! Nowadays, I just call Sherpa’s for my hubby…
It’s not a Beijing food tour without some local Beijing cuisine. Forget the Peking ducks. That’s the first thing everyone thinks of when they think of Beijing cuisine. Lost Plate takes to you a tiny restaurant in the hutongs that’s got a table full of savory local dishes ready and waiting for you. My personal favorite, though I’m not convinced it’s a traditional local cuisine, is their specialty frog. For those who’ve never had frog before, it tastes a bit like a cross between chicken and fish. And the seasoning is just divine! Crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. Whether or not they’re a part of traditional Beijing cuisine, they’re definitely a part of local culinary culture now.
The final stop is my absolute favorite – Sichuan chuan chuan where we filled up on as much of the tasty Sichuan bites as we could possibly fit into our bellies. Chuan chuan is pretty similar to hot pot, but each skewer holds only one tiny bite. It’s a good thing they left Sichuan for last, after a few chuan chuans, your tongue is numb and you’re fanning your tongue.
The food tour is a different experience than going out to just one restaurant. You’re constantly moving around and eating your way across the city while a knowledgeable guide explains local culture, food culture, and history, keeping the dinner party on the go lively and fun. It would be a great one for those looking to double (or triple) date.
To get more information on Lost Plate, visit their website at www.lostplate.com or email them at info@lostplate.com.
Photos: Mina Yan
