Features: This is a traditional noodle dish in the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province. The noodles are wide, thick and chewy, shaped like a belt, so they are also called “belt noodles”. Usually, hot oil is poured over the noodles, mixed with seasonings such as scallions, chili powder, minced garlic, etc., and topped with meat sauce, diced carrots, diced potatoes and other ingredients, full of aroma.
Recommended Restaurants: In some old alleys of Lintong District, there are many small local restaurants frequented by residents, such as “Lao Baijia Biángbiáng Noodles”. Their Biángbiáng Noodles are authentic in taste and affordable in price.
Youpo Noodles (Oil-Splashed Noodles)
Features: After the handmade noodles are cooked, they are placed in a bowl. Seasonings such as scallions, chili powder and salt are spread on the noodles, and then scalding hot rapeseed oil is poured over them. Immediately, the hot oil boils with a “sizzling” sound and a fragrant aroma. Vegetables such as bean sprouts and green vegetables can be added according to personal taste.
Recommended Restaurants: “Qin Yong Cun Youpo Noodles” is a well-reputed restaurant. The noodles are chewy, and the heat of the oil splashing is mastered just right, allowing you to taste the most authentic flavor of Youpo Noodles.
Meat Dishes
La Zhi Rou Jia Mo (Crispy Pastry with Marinated Pork)
Features: Select pork ribs or pork belly and stew them with a variety of spices for a long time. The meat is cooked until it is tender and flavorful, and then sandwiched in a crispy baked Baiji bun. The bun absorbs the mellow flavor of the meat juice, and the meat reduces some of its greasiness because of the bun. The combination of the two is a perfect match.
Recommended Restaurants: “Zhang Ji Rou Jia Mo” has a relatively high reputation in Lintong District. Their buns are freshly baked, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the marinated pork is a good mix of fat and lean, salty and delicious.
Hulu Tou Paomo (Steamed Bun Soaked in Lamb Soup)
Features: The pieces of bun are white, shiny, soft, waxy and slippery. The meat is tender, the soup is fresh, fatty but not greasy, and fragrant. When eating, you need to break the bun into small pieces and put them in a bowl first, and then the chef will pour the boiling hot soup over it. The soup is rich in flavor, and with the addition of coriander, chili sauce and other seasonings, it has a unique flavor.
Recommended Restaurants: “Tian Faya He Ji Hulu Tou Paomo”, the Hulu Tou Paomo in this restaurant has a thick soup base and good texture of the bun, and the interior environment of the restaurant is clean and tidy.
Other Specialties
Qiaomian Hele (Buckwheat Noodles)
Features: Made from buckwheat flour and pressed through ahele machine, the noodles are long, thin and even, with a chewy texture. They can be eaten cold or hot. The cold Qiaomian Hele is added with seasonings such as vinegar, mustard, garlic juice, chili oil, etc., which is sour and spicy and refreshing; the hot Qiaomian Hele will be topped with hot lamb mince soup, warming and delicious.
Recommended Restaurants: “Qiaomian Hele Fang” focuses on making various flavors of Qiaomian Hele, which can meet the taste needs of different tourists.
Shizi Bing (Persimmon Cake)
Features: The Shizi Bing in Lintong uses Huojing persimmons from the local area as raw materials. The persimmons are peeled and pitted and mixed with flour, wrapped with fillings such as walnuts, sesame seeds and sugar, and then fried or pan-fried. The outer skin is crispy, the inner filling is soft, waxy and sweet, with a strong persimmon fragrance.
Recommended Restaurants: There are many stalls and small shops selling Shizi Bing around the Terracotta Army scenic area. Among them, “Lao Xu Jia Shizi Bing” is quite popular. Their Shizi Bing has rich fillings and an authentic taste.
Suggestions for Food Exploration
Around the Scenic Area
There are some restaurants in and around the Terracotta Army scenic area, but the prices may be relatively high and the quality may vary. You can choose to look for food in places a little further away from the scenic area, such as near commercial streets or residential areas in Lintong District. There, you can taste authentic food at a more reasonable price.
Central Area of Lintong District
You can go to areas such as the central square and North Street in Lintong District. These places have a relatively concentrated number of restaurants with various grades and types of catering establishments to choose from. Here, you can taste more kinds of local special foods and experience the local food culture atmosphere of Lintong.
