5 Spicy Chinese Food You Need To Eat In Beijing China

My gastronomical experience exceeded my expectation on my solo travel to China. I had a sumptuous home-cooked meal during the Chinese New Year celebration, slurped Xiaolongbao soup from a straw, and polished off countless plates of dim-sum. I also ate plenty of spicy Chinese food in China to satisfy my spicy Asian food-loving taste buds.

Spicy Chinese Food Choices In China That Are Delicious

Wasabi glazed duck feet and the rude waitress.

Da Dong Roast Duck// Dongcheng, Jinbao St, 88, Beijing // Chinese: Peking

Once I reached Beijing, I immediately googled famous Chinese food to eat there. But, unfortunately, I only had a cup of latte the whole day and wanted to try the famous Peking duck. So I found one somewhere nearby and made my way there.

At the restaurant, I was served by the rudest waiter I had ever met. When I asked her for her recommendations, she replied, “You check”, and shoved the opened menu into my face, left and came back a few minutes later. I gave my order based on the picture.

The duck came, served on a candlelight-heated plate, looking all glazed and delicious. It was warm and so tender that it melted in my mouth. And then came the local delicacy, the wasabi mustard glazed duck feet, which satisfied my craving for spicy Chinese food. But was it worth the money I paid, considering the waiting time and the rude waiter? Well, not in the Wangfujing branch, but I hope the experience will be different in other branches.

Green Chili Frog at the foreigner-friendly restaurant at the famous Hutong

Drum and Gong// Nan luogu Xiang, Beijing 100009 // Chinese food: yummy Chinese!

My first meal was at the renowned cultural icon in Beijing: Hutong.

I had been walking up and down the alley for some time, trying to decide where to eat. There were many restaurants with interesting names, but I decided to try Drum and Gong because they grew onions in a vase and displayed it on the windows. Maybe it was purely for decoration, but it fascinated me enough to try them (the restaurant ━ not the onion).

The restaurant was packed with travelers, and I was sitting beside a bunch of Indonesian girls, while on the other side, there was a German couple. The menu showed an extensive range of food, including some spicy dishes. I settled on the green chilli frog. A frog meat dish is not easy to find back home and is not something Fafa usually wants to share. So I shall indulge my love for spicy Chinese food and frog dish. It’s delicious.

It was a cold winter day, but I stepped out of the restaurant with a complete smile and a warm body, heart, and tummy.

A Taste of Shredded Beef with Chili at Hutong

Taste// 106 Nanluogu Xaing, Dongcheng District, Beijing // Chinese food: Chongqing

I went back to the same Hutong the next day.

The plan was to drink a Venti Peach Blossom Tea Latte, send some postcards and eat at the same place as yesterday. But at the last minute, I went into the restaurant beside them because they kept inviting me in. They even showed me the menu and pointed to some pictures when I asked what their best spicy Chinese food was. I hadn’t talked to anyone the whole day unless I ordered and paid; it almost felt like we were friends! So I went in, and to my surprise, a part of the restaurant was covered with customer post-it notes. It reminded me of Song’s Pad Thai on Phi Phi Island.

I ordered the shredded beef after the waitress showed me a picture before lifting her thumbs. But, of course, it lived up to the thumbs-up.

Pickled Frog from Spicy Spirit Took Me to Cloud Nine

Spicy Spirit// 1018 Changning Rd, Changning, Shanghai, China, Could Nine Mall, Shanghai // Chinese cuisine: Szechuan.

This is a huge restaurant in a shopping mall in Shanghai, but it was almost empty. So I circled the mall to find a more reliable place to eat, but my heart was set on this one because of the name Spicy Spirit. How bad could it be? It has spicy in its name. It should be good enough for my spicy Chinese food in the China saga.

I sat down and ordered a yummy-looking drink and the pickled chilli frog dish. The chilli frog I had on the first day was absolutely delicious, added pickle sounded even better After a short wait, it came. I paid and wondered why there weren’t many customers. The food was delicious.

The next day when I went back after spending the night at Tianzifang, Shanghai’s trendy hipster hangout, I needed to queue to eat at the same place. The first time I had come at an odd hour (perks of being on holiday). This time the huge restaurant was not only packed but there was also a waiting list. Thankfully, they could fit in dinner for one shortly after I had arrived.

Xian Hot Pot Delight at Wangfujing

APM Shopping Mall, Wangfujing, Beijing // Cuisine: Xiang

As a superfan of spicy Chinese hot pot, I wanted to try an authentic one, and I got the chance in Beijing.

There were two hot pot restaurants facing each other. I went into the humbler one as I was running low on RMB. I ordered quail eggs, sweet potato, and (again) frogs. It came in a huge pot. It was obvious that the meal was meant to be shared. Oh well, too late, so I sat there for more than an hour, pacing myself to finish it. And I did. It was oh so good!

I hope this personal list of spicy local food when you travel to China and wish to satisfy your craving for spicy Chinese food, but I suggest you ignore this list and keep an open mind instead. Chinese food has a huge range of tastes to indulge in, so don’t miss out just because you have this excellent cheat sheet.

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