When visiting Youyang, besides enjoying the scenery, you must also savor the authentic local flavors! I stayed up all night putting together this 2-day, 10-meal food list. From breakfast to late-night snacks, I'll take you through the best of Youyang!
🏞️ [Gongtan Ancient Town Area · Must-Eats]
Meal 1: Gongtan Ranyu Fish Restaurant
· Must-Tries: Mung Bean Noodles, Pickled Fish, Fried Small Fish
· Experience: Sitting by the river, enjoying freshly caught fish—the tender flesh and the sour and spicy broth are the true way to experience Gongtan!
Meal 2: Old Place Youbaba
· Must-Try: Youbaba
· Experience: A Youyang specialty snack, fried to a golden and crispy exterior and filled with soft, glutinous rice batter. Eat while walking—super delicious!
Meal 3: Minglan Ding Can Rice
· Must-Try: Ding Can Rice
· Experience: The rice, cooked in a traditional Ding Can, is incredibly fragrant, with distinct grains and a crispy crust at the bottom – it evokes the familiar wood-fired flavor!
🍜 [Youyang County Area · Must-Try]
Meal 4: Dengji Hand-Rolled Noodles (Breakfast King)
· Must-Try: The signature hand-rolled noodles
· Experience: The noodles are all hand-rolled by the owner, perfectly chewy! The broth is delicious, making it the perfect breakfast to kickstart the day!
Meal 5: Qianjiang Specialty
· Must-Try: Chicken Offal
· Experience: Qianjiang chicken offal lives up to its reputation! The crispy chicken offal, flavored with pickled peppers and chili peppers, is completely flavorless and absolutely delicious with rice!
Meal 6: Wang Defu Guiyang Teppanyaki
· Must-Orders: Pork Belly, Beef Teppanyaki
· Experience: The sizzling aroma and rich, stimulating flavors of the ingredients on the teppanyaki grill are perfect for those who enjoy strong flavors!
Meal 7: Tujia Eight Bowls
· Must-Orders: Braised Pork, Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, and More
· Experience: Savor the most authentic Tujia banquet dishes all in one go, and experience the grandeur of eating large chunks of meat and drinking from generous bowls.
Meal 8: Qianjiang Cold Drinks
· Must-Orders: Mung Bean Paste, Ice Jelly
· Experience: After a spicy or oily meal, a refreshing cold drink instantly quenches the spiciness and greasiness, leaving you feeling rejuvenated!
🍚 [Unforgettable Snacks & Main Courses]
Meal 9: 6:00 PM Private Dishes
· Must-Order: Creative Homemade Dishes
· Experience: Comfortable environment and creative dishes make this a great place to experience the modern flavors of Youyang.
Meal 10: Axi Tangshuipu
· Must-Orders: Double Skin Milk, Sago
· Experience: Round off this culinary adventure with a bowl of sweet, Cantonese-style tangshui.
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💡 Foodie Tips:
1. Plan Your Dining: Explore Gongtan's food scene while exploring the ancient town.
2. Spiciness Challenge: The chicken giblets and teppanyaki dishes are quite spicy, so if you can't handle spicy food, remember to ask the waiter for "mild spice."
3. Prepare for an Empty Stomach: Ten meals over two days is quite challenging, so we recommend sharing with others and trying a little of everything to fully explore the offerings!
Save this guide, bring your 512GB stomach, and head to Youyang for a delicious meal!