Midnight snack food in China
Anyone who has lived in China on the cheap has very likely fallen in love with 烧烤. It is an experience to be treasured, as once you leave China you’ll probably miss it.
Grills Everywhere
Every place I have lived in China (three places in Shenzhen, one place in Shanghai) has had some 烧烤 nearby. With big chunks of coal under a simple (and dirty) iron grill cover, 烧烤 grills are not exactly the most advanced, but they make pretty good food.
The cost varies depending on where you are in China, but even in Shanghai it’s quite cheap. For example, every (small) skewer of vegatables goes for 0.5 RMB, with the smaller sticks of meat going for 1 RMB per piece. Larger pieces of meat, like 2 chicken wings, are 3 RMB or more.
What’s great is that you can sit out on the sidewalk, grab a 5 or 6 RMB large beer, and chow down on delicious grilled food. It’s a great way to relieve the stress from a long day of factory visits or teaching English, especially when you have friends or a special someone go with you to enjoy this exquisite cuisine.
Bringing home the bacon lamb for next to nothing
Like you may have guessed from reading previous posts, I try to be a little cheap in my spending in China. That’s one reason why buying stuff off the street in China makes me feel so good sometimes. Every once in a while, I’ll bring back all of stuff like this…
- a large handful of skewers of meat and vegetables
- a small watermelon
- a couple pearl milk teas
- a bag of popcorn
… for about 30 RMB. Less than $4. That’s a great feeling.
It’s actually one of the best reasons to move to China.
Yes, street food is the best all over the world! =P
Gotta agree with you here – at least from what I’ve seen!