May Day Suzhou: Human Jenga?! 😱 Grab This Anti-Trap Guide ASAP‼️
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Check out Shuangta Market. It's a uniquely renovated traditional market with lots of food stalls and a creative/cultural bazaar. I recommend the Taihu Huadiao Drunken Shrimp, Laokeman Egg Pancakes, and the taro paste 'nuo ji ji' (a chewy, glutinous treat).
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In the morning, you can visit Xiyuan Temple to offer prayers. It's a temple very popular among Suzhou locals, and it's said that prayers made there are quite efficacious. Plus, the temple is home to many cats, so you can enjoy some cat-petting time. Additionally, Xiyuan Temple is renowned for its vegetarian noodles and buns (though they are a bit on the sweeter side, typical of Suzhou-style sweet noodles).
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Pan Yulin's sweet porridge is a must-try; the red bean with mini rice balls is exceptionally tasty.
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Solid advice!
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Wow, still awake?
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The comments section mostly mentions hole-in-the-wall snack spots in the Gusu District. For proper restaurants, it's better to search for highly-rated ones on platforms like Dianping (though be aware that many reviews might be inflated). Usually, you won't go far wrong with those. Feel free to add more suggestions in the comments! Also, I find that many 'nongjiale' (farm-to-table style eateries) in areas like Shushan, Dongshan, Xishan, and around Taihu Lake are delicious. I'm working on compiling a separate guide for those.
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Let's talk more about Shiquan Street. It's now largely dominated by trendy, 'influencer-popular' restaurants, making it a good spot for younger crowds to explore. A well-known classic spot there is the 'Xiangxin Jizhua' (Xiangxin Chicken Feet) snack shop. Their chicken feet are very tender and glutinous, and their red bean sweet dumplings (chìdòu yuánxiāo) are also nice, though on the sweeter side.
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Here I am, browsing Suzhou guides again!
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This guide is unbeatable! I'm following your recommendations to visit these spots.