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Zhejiang Cuisine
One of the major eight schools of cooking in China, Zhejiang cuisine offers combined flavors of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Wenzhou. Each of the three sub-cuisine traditions is noted for its special flavor and taste, but they are all characterized by the careful selection of ingredients, emphasizing minute preparation, and unique, fresh and tender tastes.

Zhejiang cuisine specializes in quick-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying, simmering and steaming, obtaining the natural flavor and taste. Special care is taken in the cooking process to make the food fresh and tender. Thanks to exquisite preparation, the dishes are not only delicious in taste and but also extremely elegant in appearance.

Hangzhou Cuisine
Zhejiang cuisine is best represented by Hangzhou dishes. Dishes feature originally flavored sauces, that are not too oily, and presentation so beautiful as to equal the Hangzhou landscape.

There are more than 40 famous Hangzhou dishes, including West Lake Sour Fish, Beggar's Chicken, Fish head and Beancurd, Dongpo Pork, Shrimp Meat with Dragon Well Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup, and Sister Song's Fish Soup.

Among them, there are five famous dishes that are a must for visitors: Dongpo Pork is named after Su Dongpo, a famous man of letters of the Song Dynasty, and is a little fatty, but not oily. West Lake Sour Fish features tender fish meat with sweet and sour sauce. Shrimp meat with Dragon Well Tea was created by chance.

In ancient times, while cooking shrimp meat a chef made the mistake of adding dragon well tea to the dish as a condiment, but the emperor nonetheless enjoyed it, and the dish became famous. Beggar's Chicken is tasty and tender, with a fragrance of lotus leaves. Sister Song's Fish Soup is piquant and spicy. To try these famous dishes, tourists go to time-honored restaurants.

Louwailou Restaurant is on the north bank of the West Lake, and famous for local dishes, but is relatively expensive. The Zhiweiguan Restaurant is well known for its exquisitely prepared snacks. Steamed dumplings, wonton soup, and fried sweetmeats are local specialties, and not expensive. At lunch and dinner, this spacious dining hall is packed to capacity.

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