Xi’an Local Food Trails Part II: Modern Silk Road Carb Classics to Savor

Explore Xi’an’s Street Food Treasures: Modern Classics on the Local Food Trails

If the five dishes in Part I unlocked Xi’an’s ancient flavors, these five treasures bring you straight into the city’s culinary heart. From golden fried chicken to shimmering soup dumplings, each bite fuses history, culture, and modern street food innovation.

VI. Hulu Chicken: Tang Dynasty Fried Chicken Reimagined

• The Story:
  • Once called “Finger-Licking Chicken” in the Tang Dynasty, this dish evolved into the signature Hulu Chicken (Gourd Chicken) because the whole fried chicken resembles a gourd.
  • Featured in the 2022 special of A Bite of China as the “ceiling of Chinese fried chicken.”
• The Making:
  • Three-step process: boiling, steaming, deep-frying.
  • Simmered with 10+ spices until 70% cooked, steamed fully, then deep-fried to golden crisp perfection.
• The Taste:
  • Skin is paper-thin crisp, meat tender and juicy.
  • Traditionally eaten by tearing with hands for the ultimate texture.
• Eat Like a Local:
  • Pair with salt-Sichuan-pepper mix and chili powder; street vendors on Yongxing Fang are famous for this dish.
• Global Review:
  • A Korean blogger live-streaming from Xi’an Restaurant said: “This has three thousand more years of culture than Korean fried chicken!”

VII. Jia San Soup Dumplings: Liquid Gold in a Wrapper

• The Story:
  • Signature of the Jia San family, passed down three generations on Muslim Street.
  • Named a “Famous Chinese Snack” in 1997; traditional method: make a small window first, then drink the soup.
• The Making:
  • Beef bone collagen and chicken broth made into aspic, wrapped in paper-thin dough, steamed precisely so soup remains liquid.
• The Taste:
  • Small bite: savory beef mingles with ginger, bursting with umami.
  • Variants include pure beef or beef-lamb mix.
• Eat Like a Local:
  • Slurp carefully to enjoy liquid gold; visit Xi’an Muslim Quarter for authentic experience.
• Global Review:
  • The Guardian: “This tiny dumpling proves the Chinese people’s ultimate understanding of ‘umami’.”

VIII. Shui Pen Yangrou: Morning Warmth in a Bowl

• The Story:
  • Traditional Weinan breakfast; Shui Pen means “water basin.”
  • 2021 Douyin challenge #A Bowl of ShuiPen Wakes Up Xi’an reached 800M+ views.
• The Making:
  • Hengshan mutton simmered with bones & angelica root → clear broth.
  • Served with crescent-shaped flatbread (Yue Ya Bing) to wrap meat or soak in soup.
• The Taste:
  • Clear, light broth; tender meat; crescent bread crispy outside, soft inside.
  • Enhanced with sweet garlic and chili oil.
• Eat Like a Local:
  • Best enjoyed at 6 AM stalls; locals value “one clear, two white” (clear soup, white scallions).
• Global Review:
  • German tourist: “This soup taught me that food is heaven in Xi’an.”

IX. Huanggui Persimmon Cake: Sweet, Sticky Seasonal Treat

• The Story:
  • Made from Fire Crystal Persimmon from Lintong; over 300 years of tradition.
  • Popular in autumn and winter, a must-try street snack.
• The Making:
  • Persimmon mashed, mixed with flour, filled with walnuts, sesame, rock sugar, pan-fried until golden brown.
• The Taste:
  • Crisp outside, sticky inside, sweet but not cloying, natural persimmon aroma enhanced with osmanthus sugar.
• Eat Like a Local:
  • Perfect warm snack for cold streets; vendors often sell in small batches—try early morning or evening.
• International Review:
  • Australian blogger Emily: “The persimmon sweetness is so natural—incredibly comforting for autumn and winter!”

X. You Cha Mahua: Intangible Heritage Breakfast

• The Story:
  • Fried flour + beef marrow fat, often served by dipping a Mahua (fried twist) into the paste.
  • Part of Xi’an’s 6th batch of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2019).
• The Making:
  • Flour toasted, mixed with five-nut powder & beef fat; fresh Mahua dipped, topped with sesame & crushed peanuts.
• The Taste:
  • Savory, rich; Mahua gives crispy & soft textures simultaneously.
• Eat Like a Local:
  • Winter morning street ritual; older locals enjoy it on-the-go, making it a warm Northern China memory.
• Global Review:
  • French food critic: “This humble bowl holds the warmest breakfast memory of Northern China.”

Why These Dishes Remain Popular

• Scene Innovation: Traditional dishes embrace modern, youthful expression (e.g., Hulu Chicken, Zeng Gao as photo-worthy snack).
• Experience Design: Rituals like “drink the soup first” or “tear the bun” make meals interactive and memorable.
• Cultural Memory: Early morning You Cha Mahua, Shui Pen Yangrou—distinct consumption scenarios that anchor Xi’an street food in memory.

Xi’an Food Map Tips for Travelers

• Time Magic: Shui Pen Yangrou at 6 AM; BBQ carts at 11 PM—catch Xi’an street life at its peak.
• Hidden Menu: Egg & Vegetable Jian Mo (Muslim Street) or Osmanthus Fermented Rice Soup (Shuyuan Gate) are local secrets.
• Cultural Easter Egg: At Tong Sheng Xiang, observe “Three Speeds”—a masterful skill perfected over 30+ years.

As you leave Xi’an with the crisp memory of Hulu Chicken and the warmth of Jia San Soup Dumplings, you’ll realize this city’s food is more than carbs—it’s liquid cultural heritage simmered over millennia.

Lonely Planet: “In Xi’an, every bite is a conversation with history, and every chew is a tribute to civilization.”