Guangzhou Food: Michelin or Farmhouse – So, Where's the *Actual* Good Stuff?
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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.