Yangrou paomo is the most iconic dish in the Xi'an foodscape. The ritual before eating a paomo -- tearing the bread into small pieces yourself before letting the chef turn it into a stew -- is as enjoyable as the dish itself.
Flatbread in mutton soup (yangrou paomo) —
Yangrou paomo is the most iconic dish in the Xi'an foodscape. The ritual before eating a paomo -- tearing the bread into small pieces yourself before letting the chef turn it into a stew -- is as enjoyable as the dish itself.
Shen Lu/CNN
Roujiamo is the city's favorite burger. A delicious roujiamo is composed of two key elements -- juicy shredded braised pork and a crispy baked bread.
Xi'an meat burger (roujiamo) —
Roujiamo is the city's favorite burger. A delicious roujiamo is composed of two key elements -- juicy shredded braised pork and a crispy baked bread.
Shen Lu/CNN
Rice noodles are cooked, cooled and thinly sliced. The noodles are often served in a sauce made of chili oil, pepper powder, vinegar and diced garlic. Then it's garnished with bean sprouts and sliced cucumber.
Cold noodles (liangpi) —
Rice noodles are cooked, cooled and thinly sliced. The noodles are often served in a sauce made of chili oil, pepper powder, vinegar and diced garlic. Then it's garnished with bean sprouts and sliced cucumber.
Shen Lu/CNN
Commonly described as resembling a belt, biangbiang noodles are wide, thick and long. One string of noodles can easily fill you up.
Biangbiang noodles —
Commonly described as resembling a belt, biangbiang noodles are wide, thick and long. One string of noodles can easily fill you up.
Shen Lu/CNN
Who can resist a bowl of dumplings swimming in hot and sour soup with sesame seeds, minced leek and cilantro? Suantang shuijiao is flavorful and refreshing with a lingering (and pleasant) aftertaste.
Hot and sour soup dumpling (suantang shuijiao) —
Who can resist a bowl of dumplings swimming in hot and sour soup with sesame seeds, minced leek and cilantro? Suantang shuijiao is flavorful and refreshing with a lingering (and pleasant) aftertaste.
Shen Lu/CNN
This unassuming-looking dish packs 23 herbs, spices and seasonings into one serving and requires seven hours to cook.
Steamed beef and wheat powder (fenzhengrou) —
This unassuming-looking dish packs 23 herbs, spices and seasonings into one serving and requires seven hours to cook.
Shen Lu/CNN
Coated with chili and cumin powder, it's a highly addictive midnight snack for Xi'an residents. It's not unusual for locals to order 100 of them in one go.
Kabob (chuan'er) —
Coated with chili and cumin powder, it's a highly addictive midnight snack for Xi'an residents. It's not unusual for locals to order 100 of them in one go.
Shen Lu/CNN
Pomegranates are a local specialty product. Pomegranate juice stands pop up around town every fall.
Pomegranate juice —
Pomegranates are a local specialty product. Pomegranate juice stands pop up around town every fall.
Shen Lu/CNN
Cooked overnight in a zeng -- a traditional earthen utensil -- most vendors only prepare one batch of zenggao (glutinous rice and date layered cake) a day.
Glutinous rice and date cake (zenggao) —
Cooked overnight in a zeng -- a traditional earthen utensil -- most vendors only prepare one batch of zenggao (glutinous rice and date layered cake) a day.
Shen Lu/CNN
Shanghai's xiaolongbao? Wrong. It is Xi'an's own version of soup dumplings. Instead of pork, tangbao in Xi'an is mutton meat and soup packed into a paper-thin wrapper.
Soup dumpling (tangbao) —
Shanghai's xiaolongbao? Wrong. It is Xi'an's own version of soup dumplings. Instead of pork, tangbao in Xi'an is mutton meat and soup packed into a paper-thin wrapper.
Shen Lu/CNN