Eat Where the Locals Eat

OK, Ric here. I'm finally going to break down and post something here. Everyone who knows me is aware that I didn't start eating Chinese food until a few years ago. I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy and that's not going to change. However I must say I have been challenged on our trips to China to "eat where the locals eat." I have been told that's the best food. I must say that the best rice I have ever eaten is right here in China. That said, eating rice is not really branching out much when it comes to food. Although on our last trip to China I really did eat what the locals eat especially when our driver brought some food that he had bought at a street market. I wouldn't have tasted it except that my lovely wife gave me that, "do not embarrass us in front of the guide", look. So I tried and although I was not pleased I did try. Sooo, when we went to visit Autumn's orphanage on Tuesday I told my wife before we left, "If they take us to lunch at a local restaurant I will do my best to not embarrass us." We indeed went to lunch at a local eatery after the tour and visit with our guide Wendy and our driver along with two people from the orphanage. This place I was told by Wendy only serves food from the local farmers. So there you go! I was definitely going to eat where the locals eat. Have I said that enough? Man, they brought out the food. At least 10 dishes or more. All served in bowls put out on a lazy susan for us to spin around to the one we wanted to eat. We had chicken, beef and potatoes, Chinese potato noodles (not making that up it's what our guide told us), and stuff I have never seen before but it was all very tasty. I even ate the whole meal with chopsticks. We enjoyed it very much. So tonight we went out to eat with another couple staying here at the hotel, (Alex and Michelle), and their newly adopted son (Lei). I told Alex on the way there that I didn't branch out much on eating so don't feel insulted if I don't eat everything put in front of me. Well again I was surprised. It was a similar type of restaurant to the one in Jinhua by the orphanage and it was very nice. Other than Alex almost getting us involved in an International incident it was a good evening out. Actually, when trying to order the food there was much confusion and we had no less than 6 of the wait staff hanging out around Alex trying to figure out what we were trying to order. A nice man who spoke very good English came to our rescue and the International incident was averted. We had about 8 different dishes served to us and most were very good. Although we didn't have a clue what some of them were we tried them anyway, well most of them, and we went away with full stomachs. I know a couple of guys at work who would have enjoyed this meal very much! Not a bad deal either when it came to paying the check. Well, time to go to bed and get some zzzzz's. By the way, my new daughter is smiling at me now and today I got her to smile for some pictures and now she is posing. We're in trouble I can see it now... Tomorrow off to Guangzhou!

- Ric