ItineraryDuration: 3 Hours
Pick up Time & Location: 6:30 pm + Hotel
Finishing Time & Location: 9:30 + Hotel
Types of Payment: Cash, Card
Service: Private Guide + Driver
We provide you private guide and driver; pick up at hotel in Xi’an city, have your dumpling banquet dinner first in the restaurant which has over 100 year’s history. You will proceed to visit Muslim Street, Bell tower & Drum Tower Square on foot.
Muslim Street:
It is the center of the considerable Chinese-Muslim community in Xi’an. The stalls flanking the narrow alleys sell almost everything you can imagine. There are even a number of stalls selling parts of aircraft. If you prepared to bargain you will be amazed at the final prices. A variety of Muslim food and snacks can be tried here, tasty and very cheap, including the locals’ favorites, roasted beef, roasted fish, and pancakes. The title of “a street of gourmet” is deserved.
P.S. Consider trying “Yang Rou Pao Mo 羊肉泡馍”, a well-known local dish which is essentially crumble pita bits in mutton noodle soup.
Bell tower & Drum Tower Square:
The Bell Tower, a remarkable symbol of Xian, is located in the center of city where the four main streets intersect. The Bell Tower is the largest and also the best preserved one among the existing bell towers in China.
At that time, the Bell Tower was located a block west of its current position where was opposite to the Drum
Tower. To the northwest of the Bell Tower is the Drum tower, another symbol of ancient Xian, which stands on the diagonal of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower Square. A huge drum was housed in the tower and struck every evening. The enormous drum was used to mark time, and in times of war, to warn citizens of impending attack. Both the Bell and Drum Tower are illuminated at night, and the Drum Tower offers attractive evening views over the plaza below and on to the Bell Tower. The tunnel through the center of the tower’s base leads to the Muslim quarter.
Dumpling Banquet:
Dumplings, or Jiao Zi as they are known in Chinese, are among the most representative foods in China. Perhaps the most famous dumplings served are in Xi'an of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The Xi'an Dumpling Banquet is well known for its rich assortment of dumplings with different tastes and styles.
Usually dumplings for the Xi'an Dumpling Banquet need to go through six procedures before they can be served. The filling consists of various meats, chopped vegetables and seasonings, resulting in the flavors such as salty, sweet, hot and sour. And there's almost as much variety in the cooking methods used. They can be steamed, boiled, pan-fried or roasted.
People who taste Xi'an Dumpling Banquet have had a deep happy memory. This is not only because its beautiful styles and delicious taste, but also because it includes plentiful cultural intension.
'Baochuan steamed dumpling', it uses shepherd's purse and pork as filling, draws its material from the legend of Wangbaochuan digging shepherd's purse in the south of Changan city.
'Black Rice steamed dumpling', uses the black rice as filling, draws its material from the legend that Zhangqian dreamed Wenqu, found black rice and went to the Western Region.
'chrysanthemum chafing dish', waiter or waitress boil pearl dumpling like the size of smallest finger in front of the guest, then, distribute to every people. When guest taste the pearl dumpling (more or less), they will get blessing related with number:
When you eat one dumpling, the blessing is to plain sailing;
two dumplings - a double blessing has descended upon the house;
three dumplings - to go up three grades in a row ;
four dumplings - to get rich in four seasons;
five dumplings - an abundant harvest of all food crops;
six dumplings - everything goes well;
seven dumplings - seven stars shin upon you(good luck) ;
eight dumplings - the Eight Immortals crossing the sea(each one showing his or her special prowess);
nine dumplings - the highest above all;
ten dumplings - be perfect in every way.
