Sichuan Folks' Biggest Hangzhou Pain? The Food, Obviously 🙄

[Stacey Kulas]

Ah, when it comes to the food in Hangzhou, I really don't know how to describe it adequately!

• Most of the dishes here tend to be on the sweeter side, which might be a local characteristic. Many dishes that are made for enhanced freshness or added flavor often have a hint of sweetness.
• Also, it seems like they like to add some yellow wine – this is a local commonly used glutinous rice wine, used to remove any gamey smell or enhance flavors. If you're not a fan of this taste, make sure to ask questions before ordering your dishes.
• [Covering face emoji] Let me pass. I'll just get myself some instant noodles and console myself in silence.
  • Friendly tip: If you are like me and find it hard to adapt to dishes with a strong sweet taste or a distinct winey aroma, be sure to inquire before ordering. Alternatively, consider dining at national chain restaurants as their food tastes are usually more mainstream.

(注：[捂脸]为表情符号，此处翻译为emoji“[Covering face emoji]”)

[Mrs. Beverly Glover-Crist]

As someone from Hangzhou, the biggest struggle when I visit Chengdu isn't that Sichuan food is bad, but after a few days, the oiliness gets to me. I usually need a few weeks to recover, sometimes even getting gastroenteritis, and I often find myself craving something sweet.

[Katrina Sporer]

Last year, I was on a business trip to Chengdu and ordered takeout. I specifically requested 'no spice' or 'very, very mild,' but when it arrived, one bite was still so spicy it made me cry.

[Ms. Alberta Moen]

You can definitely still go. When we visit Sichuan, it's not like everything is spicy and oily. Can't we just be a bit more respectful of each other's tastes?

[Leon O'Keefe]

In Chongqing, I swear even when I had diarrhea, it seemed oily!

[Jeremiah Bednar]

Honestly, I haven't really encountered many sweet Hangzhou dishes...

[Theresa Sporer]

I'm a Hangzhou native, born and raised here for 20 years. Maybe it's just my family or neighborhood, but we don't eat a lot of sweet dishes. Yet, online everyone says Hangzhou food is sweet, which really puzzles me.

[Elsa Wyman]

So, when you were in the Maldives, you didn't find anything 'too spicy' then, did you?

[Shawna Keebler-Satterfield]

You don't get it. When you're abroad, you just have to suck it up and pretend everything's great. How else can you show off that you've spent all that money on a trip?

[Pamela Miller]

I'm not from Hangzhou, but why are Sichuan people so keen on criticizing local food habits wherever they go? According to old sayings, heavy oil, salt, and spice were typical of less developed regions. If you heard that, would you accuse people of discrimination?

[Kendra Howe]

Actually, people in northern Zhejiang used to think that way too. The older generation believed that spicy food was made because they couldn't afford fresh ingredients, and the spice helped make plain rice more palatable. But to be fair, Fuyuanju (a restaurant) isn't really that sweet. Now, Suzhou cuisine, that's truly sweet.

[Mr. Philip Hudson]

It's perfectly normal if you're not used to it. I feel like outside of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, sweet-savory dishes aren't that common, right? Jiangsu cuisine is where it's really pronounced – even shredded eel is sweet there! But hey, it's about trying something new, isn't it? When you travel, you're meant to experience different tastes.

[Dr. Wade Boyer]

People in Zhejiang genuinely don't eat a lot of sweet dishes. It's fair to say Jiangsu cuisine is sweet; I've been there, and many dishes have a sweet note, which I actually find quite tasty. However, as a Zhejiang local, I have to emphasize that Zhejiang as a whole isn't a region known for very sweet food. It's mainly because Hangzhou is so famous that people mistakenly believe all of Zhejiang has a sweet palate.

[Dr. Cheryl Willms]

Seriously? Are you kidding me? Hangzhou has TONS of Sichuan, Hunan, and Quzhou restaurants! It's not like the smaller towns in Zhejiang where the food is genuinely milder and you can barely find any places with bold flavors. Just search on a food delivery app in Hangzhou – there are plenty of strongly flavored options!

[Abraham Kris]

Are you deliberately seeking out Jiangzhe (Jiangsu-Zhejiang) cuisine only to complain it's not to your taste? Many young people here in Zhejiang actually prefer bold flavors and wouldn't opt for traditional local dishes themselves.

[Mr. Carlton Johnston]

China is a vast country, and customs and preferences vary greatly from place to place. What people grow up eating is naturally different, so it's perfectly normal not to be used to certain foods. There's really nothing to criticize. As someone from Zhejiang myself, there are even some Hangzhou dishes I don't particularly care for. For example, many people from Zhejiang might not be used to the preserved foods in Shaoxing cuisine or the spiciness of Quzhou dishes.

[Dr. Ruben Larkin MD]

I'm not criticizing the original poster; I'm criticizing those who are bashing the original poster.

[Maryann Daniel IV]

I feel the same way. I haven't really found those amazing little local spots in Hangzhou – you know, the kind of small, unassuming restaurants you often find just outside residential compounds. They just don't seem that appealing here. I lived in Ningbo for six months and ate at this great noodle place downstairs almost daily. Even in my old neighborhood in Hangzhou, there was a fantastic spot for hand-sliced noodles. But here in Hangzhou now, simple, tasty, and affordable little eateries like that are so rare. I can't afford big meals all the time, and when I order takeout, I'm often stumped.

[Lena Oberbrunner]

To be honest, the noodles in Hangzhou really aren't that great. You could try making your own – it's healthier, tastier, and cheaper.

[Wayne Marvin]

This was the worst! I made a special trip to try it, and it was absolutely terrible. Right now, I honestly feel like I want to release every West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce back into the lake.