Item: Stir-fried beef noodles, 乾炒牛河
Date: February 14, 2024
Location: 國强粥粉麵, Guangzhou, China
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
Stir-fried beef noodles is perhaps the most well-known signature dish in Cantonese cuisine. It is said that to test the proficiency of a Cantonese chef, ask him to make stir-fried beef noodles and you'll see if he's truly skilled or not. There's a place in Guangzhou where this dish is on the not-so-secret secret menu, because everyone knows about it even though it's not explicitly shown on the menu. When my dad, a picky Cantonese eater, went last year, he used "one-of-a-kind" to describe the beef noodles, and so I was intrigued. I was determined to find this place and try the beef noodles during my subsequent visit to Guangzhou and lo and behold, here we were. From the photo, the noodles look quite greasy, but they really weren't as greasy as they appear here. The abundance of "wok hey" (aromatic and "flavour" of the wok) was the highlight and a sign that this was done by an expert. The tender beef, the contrast in texture between the noodles and bean sprouts, the flavour of the sauce on each noodle strand...mmm, just perfect. To say that I wasn't influenced by my dad's comment wouldn't exactly be honest, but I'd have to say this was the best stir-fried beef noodles I've had in China thusfar (Toronto has some really amazing ones that may beat it though). Then again, Wuhan's Cantonese cuisine situation is abysmal so I'm glad to have food in my hometown anyday...... 😉
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