Cantonese cooking is world-famous, yet the watered-down version we know in the West fails to do justice to the delicacy and vibrancy of the real thing. Because of its extraordinarily fortunate location on the Pearl River Delta, the wealth of food is enormous and the locals’ expectations are subsequently demanding.
The Chinese say that the Cantonese eat anything that flies, except for aeroplanes, and anything with legs except for chairs. It is barely an exaggeration. However, while you may be inclined to stick to delicious dim sum and shy away from some of the fare on offer, there is still a freshness and vivacity to the cuisine that is difficult to rival.
From roast suckling pig and stewed snake and the enormous variety of dim sum dishes, this is a food lover’s paradise. If you can get out of your comfort zone in Guangzhou, you could open your pallet to a host of flavours and dishes that would previously have been beyond your imagination. It really is one place where it pays to be brave.
The restaurants offered below are just the merest selection. Remember that there are thousands of them in Guangzhou.
