Top 05 Dishes You Cannot Miss in Xian, China – A Place Rich in Culinary Delights

Locally called Yangrou paomo, this is probably the most popular dish amongst locals. Aromatic, spicy and packed with loads of flavour this dish is a thick mutton broth to which pieces of shredded flatbread are added. Eating the comfort food is considered a rare and relaxing experience when done right. Here's how; the dish will arrive with two flatbreads 'mo', in a bowl, you must then tear these up into minuscule pieces. In fact, it's believed that hand-torn bread makes the soup taste better. Once done return the bowl of shredded bread to the kitchen, the bread is then cooked in mutton soup with vermicelli until the flatbread is well soaked. It comes to the table topped up with slices of lamb or beef, and you eat it with pickled garlic. Popular at many a Xian restaurant, this is a must try, iconic dish.

Locals love Kabob or chuan'er, especially as a shared dish, when enjoying a late night drink with friends. Highly addictive the little kabobs or skewers cost almost nothing, often two people will end up eating around 100 lamb or beef skewers. They come to the table coated in cumin and chilli powder. Many hotels like Grand Park Xian, offer in-house dining and Xian cuisine, where one can look to sample such delicious local cuisine.

The arrival of autumn in Xian is marked with the many pomegranate stands which crop up at various locations across the city. The Lintong area is most famous for this iconic drink enjoyed in the fall. Here's a tip, try the freshly made pomegranate juice with the famous kabobs, and you will be hooked.

This snack very similar to the common hamburger boasts an extensive history behind its emergence. Roujiamo as the bun is called in Xian consists of baked and leavened bread together with braised meat. For the best flavours, it's suggested the roujiamo is baked in a traditional oven and not an electric one. The meat consists of pork, both the fat and lean; it is braised for a few hours and then shredded by hand, before being added to a pocket in the bread. You can also ask for the 'lean meat only' roujiamo while in the Muslim quarter, you can enjoy the tastes of roujiamo made with beef or lamb, tipped to be the best tasting; as the bread is believed to stay fresh and crispy for many days.

This is roujiamo's best friend, inseparable for centuries; the pair is quite a treat to your taste-buds. The perfect combo-meal would be roujiamo, cold noodles or liangpi and a bottle of the local soda pop, Ice Peak; locals call this the Xian Combo! Cold noodles are just as the name denotes, rice noodles which have been thinly sliced and kept to cool. The noodles are served with a chilli oil sauce, diced garlic, vinegar, pepper powder and bean sprouts.