Food Streets and Xi'an at Night

A sip and smash tradition

One of the highlights of Xi'an, other than the ancient history and the fabulous Terracotta Warriors, is the food. It is cheap and abundant, and delicious.

The highlight for me was Yongxingfang Food Street, just inside the Zhongshan gate (near Eastern Gate) in the ancient city. It is Shaanxi cuisine and the markets are clean. The dishes are roughly $2 a plate, though it is a cashless market. You can buy a card at the kiosk and load it with money to just tap away as you roam the alleyways.

Noodles

Very picturesque, with live music, dancers and puppets. There are even demonstrations on how to make the food.  It has everything a tourist could want, and yet we seemed to be the only tourists there.













You can't visit Xi'an without eating something at Muslim Food Street (which is actually a few streets). Perfect for dinner after visiting the Great Mosque (built in the Tang Dynasty, 742 AD), and with plenty of souvenir markets nearby.  The serenity of the Mosque is juxtaposed against the bustle of the food market outside.

These are a crazy dessert...try them! I'll leave what happens as a surprise

The musical fountain show near the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is a very popular nightly entertainment. We didn't allow enough time to get there, and so missed nabbing a prime spot. Listen to your hotel when they suggest leaving an hour before the show starts...even if you are just kilometres away. We then wandered around the nearby streets behind the pagoda (opposite side to the fountain) and the city is light up with an abundance of food streets, restaurants and markets. Allow plenty of time so you can enjoy it all. Make sure you join in the plaza dancing for a once in a lifetime experience.

Xi'an is lit up at night, so it is well worth going for a drive around the city, and stopping in one of the busy spots for dinner and an evening stroll. The locals flock to the streets in the evening, and a party atmosphere abounds.

Linking with #WeekendReflection (street scene)





Further Reading:
Yongxingfang Food Street
Muslim Quarter
Wild Goose Pagoda

Yongxingfang

Related Reading:
Unexpected Beijing
The Great Wall of China at Dhawa Jinshanling

Linking with  #WeekendReflection for the street scene in the tagged shot.