Guangzhou Food: Michelin or Farmhouse – So, Where's the *Actual* Good Stuff?
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Hello, fellow travel enthusiasts! I have a particular habit that follows me wherever I go—I must try all the delicious local dishes!
Recently, I visited Guangzhou and managed to try out all the Michelin-star restaurants one by one (honestly speaking, Guangzhou's Michelin restaurants are so much easier to make reservations at compared to Shanghai!).
The dishes in most of these restaurants were indeed up to par, though quality did vary. But their signature dishes left a fantastic impression on me.
However, several local netizens said that the real taste of Guangzhou lies hidden within the "农庄" (Nóng Zhūāng). Here's a small cultural note for your information: "农庄", or Nóng-Zhuāng, refers to rustic dining experiences usually located in suburban areas with simple décor, where fresh ingredients and traditional cooking methods take center stage. Many locals find the food here to be full of "锅气" (guō qì), which translates as homey flavor, a burst of authentic flavor.
So, on my last day in Guangzhou, eager for the best taste, I checked out two Nóng-Zhuāngs after reading many recommendations.
At the first Nóng-Zhuāng, I was hit with an unexpected shock:
* The food was very salty. It nearly covered the taste of the ingredients themselves.
* Tables around us were filled with people smoking cigarettes, which went uncontrolled.
* As I don’t understand Cantonese (the predominant language in Guangzhou, different from Mandarin), my attempt to inquire caused disagreement with the staff (thankfully my roommate was from Guangdong, and he taught me some Cantonese curse words before, enabling me to realize they insulted me; I was really upset!).
* Later, I posted this experience online to vent my frustration which led me to face criticism for ordering cheap dishes (we ordered something more expensive than what is listed on the platform on average, and I still left half-eaten okay!?); they even blamed me for setting unrealistic expectations.The second Nóng-Zhuāng provided the following lesson:
* Based on the experience of the first restaurant, this time I was timid, and I didn’t ask anything.
* I remained silent and absorbed the second-hand smoke while consuming the overly salty food.In fact, I have eaten many Cantonese dishes in the past, both in Shanghai and in Hong Kong, leaving me wonderful impressions. For a trip specially made just to enjoy rural Chinese cuisine, and recommended by locals, this experience definitely pained my tongue and heart.
AVOID-PITFALL GUIDLINES FOR FOREIGNERS VISITING GUANGZHOU RURAL DINING CULTURE-
Regarding taste:
- Some Nóng-Zhuāng dishes might contain too much salt, prioritizing traditional flavor over original ingredient quality.
- How To Handle: If you prefer lighter口味 (kǒuwèi), or taste, you could try using Chinese when placing your order to request less salt (shǎo yán - less salt) although effects may be uncertain.
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Regarding communication:
- Many residents in Guangzhou communicate in Cantonese (Cantonese); local restaurants outside tourist areas are likely where the staff hardly speak Mandarin, being less patient towards customers who aren't familiar with Cantonese.
- How To Handle: Translate phrases you want to say into Cantonese before going, or seek help from a Cantonese-speaking friend. You are never wrong to maintain a smile and patience!
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Regarding environment:
- Indoor smoking is widespread in some traditional Nóng-Zhuāngs and local eateries.
- How To Handle: Be mentally prepared if you are sensitive to cigarette smells, or select dining spots that provide outdoor seating options or clear non-smoking signs.
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With respect to “local recommendations”:
- Local suggestions are invaluable, but their dining preferences and styles may not suite every visitor.
- How To Handle: When deciding based on suggestions, consider varied reviews, combining them with your individual preferences. Don’t get excessively disappointed with bad experiences, since travel often comes with surprises!
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If you don't mind a less-than-ideal environment, you should definitely try farmhouse restaurants. Their ingredients are so fresh that the food tastes great even if the chef isn't a master. Especially for chicken, goose, or fish, my family will specifically seek out farmhouses by mountain streams just for their 'mountain stream fish' (山坑鱼 - shān kēng yú). What you experienced is quite common at these places. If you want to eat at a farmhouse restaurant, you really need a local to guide you, as the staff often don't understand or speak Mandarin. Also, the saltiness can depend on the dishes you order; this can happen even at Michelin restaurants. Steamed, plain boiled (白切 - bái qiē), or lightly stir-fried dishes naturally won't be too salty, but braised or heavily stir-fried dishes always carry the risk of being salty...
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Michelin restaurants aren't usually that salty! I've ordered similar dishes there. Even Bingsheng (炳胜), which I recall as being on the saltier side, wasn't that salty. Places like Guang Yu Xuan (广御轩) or Jade Garden (玉堂春暖) are even more restrained with their seasoning. With farmhouse restaurants, it's not just salty; some dishes are unevenly seasoned, with occasional 'salt bombs' (咸味暴击 - xián wèi bàojī). Even the stir-fried seasonal vegetables were incredibly salty. Are they doing this on purpose because I'm not a local?
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It's true, people go to farmhouse restaurants mainly for delicious, affordable food – great value for money, and sometimes they offer ingredients you wouldn't find in Michelin places. If you're not looking for particularly obscure dishes and have a generous budget, you can't go wrong with a Michelin restaurant.
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Exactly.
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For tourists who aren't on a tight budget, Michelin restaurants are still recommended.
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If everyone judges 'value for money' (性价比 - xìngjiàbǐ) solely by raw ingredient cost, then definitely don't go to Michelin restaurants. Having tried several 1-2 star places, they do have their standards. Those who say 'eating at Michelin is being a sucker' (水鱼 - shuǐyú, meaning 'easy target/gullible person') probably haven't even tried a single one-star restaurant. As a foodie who's lived in Guangzhou for 9 years ('广漂' - Guǎng piāo), I love both farmhouse restaurants and Michelin places. Farmhouses are mainly for the ingredients; Michelin is for the culinary techniques, quality control, ambiance, and service.
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Absolutely!
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The good thing about Michelin restaurants is that more than half the time, you won't be disappointed ('踩雷' - cǎi léi, step on a landmine/have a bad experience). If something isn't good, you can often send it back. The environment is also better. Plus, for dim sum and desserts, Michelin places are probably top-notch; for other dishes, it's not always a guarantee.
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Totally!
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For tourists, Michelin is a safe bet. The ceiling might not be super high, but the floor (minimum quality) is guaranteed. I've pretty much tried all the Michelin restaurants in Guangzhou, and I'd say they're generally upper-middle tier. Even the claypot dishes (啫啫煲 - jē jē bāo) at HUI SHI JIA (惠食佳), the sunflower chicken at White Swan Hotel (白天鹅), and Bingsheng (炳胜) are just average in my book (because I've had much better eel rice and concubine chicken elsewhere). Farmhouse restaurants, on the other hand, depend on local specialties: Nansha for seafood, greens, and lotus root; Panyu for fig chicken; Qingyuan for chicken; Taishan for eel rice, five-flavor goose, and sandworm congee; Zhongshan for squab and crispy grass carp (脆肉鲩 - cuì ròu wǎn); Shunde for Jun'an roasted pig, dace fish paste, and shredded fish soup (my family avoids sashimi due to a past parasite issue); Zhuhai for Shenwan pineapple and oyster chicken pot. For me, these are all about enjoying the fresh, original flavors of the ingredients and the 'wok hei' (锅气 - guōqì, breath of the wok) of street food stalls, which Michelin places often lack. As for Hong Kong and Macau, I have one piece of advice: don't bother with chicken, duck, or goose there. But if you go for the expensive options, you'll find a plethora of Cantonese culinary masters.
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That's a fair point.
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I think Michelin food is generally tastier; their signature dishes usually offer a pleasant surprise. Most farmhouse/local restaurants are pretty average, but if I find a really good one, I'll go often, especially for the value.
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Exactly!
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Many farmhouse restaurants have poor environments and a mixed bag of diners in terms of etiquette. But if you find an authentic one, the food can be truly delicious. If you can't tolerate the setting, then stick to Michelin-type places. I might go to a farmhouse occasionally, but mostly I prefer a cleaner, more pleasant environment.
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I rarely go to farmhouse restaurants either.
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As a local, I'd choose Michelin; I've never bought into the farmhouse hype...
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People from Shanghai really aren't suited for farmhouse restaurants; they should just stick to Michelin.