Eating in China: A $5 Food Challenge in Chongqing
This article documents a food challenge in Chongqing, China, where the goal is to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner for under $5 USD. The challenge highlights the affordability of food in certain areas of China while also exploring the contrasts between traditional and modern food culture.
Breakfast: Savory and Sweet Shaling
The first stop is a popular local bakery that has been open for 33 years. They specialize in shelving, small baked cakes with various fillings.
The Budget Breakdown
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Each shelving originally cost 1.5 RMB, but the price has increased to 2.5 RMB.
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Two shelvings are purchased: one sweet sesame and one meat-filled, totaling 4.5 RMB.
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The sweet one is sesame flavored and the savory one is filled with meat.
Tasting the Shaling
The meat-filled shelving is described as having a complex flavor with a perfectly crispy and soft pastry. The filling isn't just beef or pork; it has slight sweetness, saltiness and the aroma of star anise. The addition of BYO tomato sauce is deemed phenomenal, reminiscent of Australian meat pies.
The sweet sesame shelving is very soft and moist. It is not overly sweet, but is still enjoyable. The bottom is caramelized and has sesame seeds. While perhaps not initially exciting, it becomes moreish with each bite.
Lunch: An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
For lunch, the challenge heads to a huer fan restaurant, a dining concept very popular in Northeast China. Huer fan restaurants offer an all-you-can-eat buffet for a set price.
The Huer Fan Experience
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The chosen restaurant costs 13 RMB.
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A wide variety of dishes are available, including cold dishes (lettuce, cucumber, dips), hot dishes (pork blood, mashed potato with eggplant, tofu noodles), and carbs (rice, breads, potatoes).
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Iron pot stews, fish, and fresh dishes are constantly being brought out.
Lunch Strategy
The strategy is to load up a plate with rice, eggplant potato mash, and chili oil. The food is not award-winning, but it is tasty, filling, and provides a good balance of macronutrients.
Coffee and Contrasts
A coffee break is taken, but the expensive coffee (47 RMB or $6.50 USD) is deliberately excluded from the budget. This highlights the cost contrasts in Chongqing, where some things are incredibly cheap while others are surprisingly expensive. The area where the coffee is purchased is a new, modern neighborhood, contrasting with the more traditional city.
Language Learning
This is also an opportunity to mention a language learning app. The presenter recommends Rosetta Stone. It uses immersion to help the learner learn the language.
Dinner: Street-Side Barbecue (Shaokao)
With 18.5 RMB remaining, the search begins for an affordable dinner. The presenter opts for shaokao (barbecue skewers) from a street vendor.
The Shaokao Selection
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The barbecue skewers cost 2 RMB each.
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Seven skewers are purchased, fitting within the remaining budget.
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The skewers include a mantou (steamed bun) skewer and enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon.
Enjoying the Meal
The shaokao, enjoyed on the street, proves to be a satisfying and delicious end to the day. The mantou skewer gets crispy and chewy on the barbecue. The enoki mushrooms bring both crunch and a salty smoky flavor from the bacon.
Challenge Conclusion
The $5 food challenge in Chongqing is deemed a success. It demonstrates the affordability of food in the city, especially when choosing local options. The presenter concludes by suggesting a future challenge with an even tighter budget, perhaps aiming for under $1 per day.
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