Xi'an Street Food which opened just this June on Quay Street in Galway. Irish people know Chinese food in terms of Cantonese, Hunan or Sichuan. But Xi'an Chinese food is actually fairly unusual.
So what is it? How do you explain it to people? Chinese food historian and author, Andrew Coe once described Xi’an regional fare as representing the wave of the future in Chinese food.” With Anthony Bourdain a fan, Xi’an food is sure to set the standard for Chinese food in the west.
Just this June, Xi’an Street Food opened on Quay Street in the heart of Galway City. The casual restaurant is aiming to showcase and bring traditional and authentic Chinese food culture to Galway.
The open kitchen at Xi’an Street Food will allow people to get an insight into how the food to prepared and cooked. The Chinese city of Xi'an in China array of noodles, burgers and dumplings are the tastiest way to introduce to this Chinese region unique food culture and history. Xi’an was once the starting point of the Silk Road, Xi'anese cuisine has one of the world's longest and richest culinary histories. The city was home to various religions during the Tang Dynasty, and a range of cultures have helped shape Xi'an cuisine, Xi’an food brings intriguing dishes you can't taste anywhere else in China.
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The menu includes the Xi'an meat burger (known as Roujiamo ), which is like a hamburger, but with a much longer history. Roujiamo could be the world's oldest sandwich or hamburger since this bread dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC ) and the meat to the Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC to 256 BC ). There are just two elements -- baked leavened bread and shredded braised meat. A good Chinese burger (jiamo ) should be baked using a traditional furnace instead of an electric oven. Lean pork will be braised for hours – then hand-shredded and pocketed in the bread.
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Another menu highlight is Biang Biang noodles, this is a very interesting and popular dish in Shaanxi province. This is where it all began! Biang Biang noodles are named after the sound made when the large belt-like noodle dough is slapped against the counter as they are pulled. The result is an extremely long, thick noodle topped with chili, pork and vegetables like carrots, potato and greens. Don’t forget your camera as it’s likely the longest noodle you’ll ever have! This is like food theatre, as you can watch them being made.
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Starting with one cylindrical rope of dough, a noodle maker pulls and tug on that rope and folds it over his fingers, weaving his hands back and forth as if playing an accordion, each time stretching out the dough so that before long all ten of his fingers hold up progressively thinner strands of one singular, unbroken string of dough.
North or south in China, one delicacy you will find are dumplings. They are a universal favourite, once you have an authentic dumpling, you will never forget the taste and you will forever crave the taste and food. The Chinese dumpling has a long history and can be anything from a quick snack to a delicacy to entertain family and friends. A real dumpling being available in Galway is a delicacy that will only add to the already very colourful food scene in the west.
For more information check out thier facebook page Xian Street Food.
