Falling back in love with Chinese food

After a bout of food poisoning, recently I have been put right off Chinese food. In fact I spent my last weekend trying to get hold of some home comforts- pasta, bread, jam, fresh coffee, and real milk. All expensive and I had to go out of my way to find them, but they were soooo delicious and my poor stomach was so glad of them.

However, on a wet rainy day like today, it seemed too far to walk to anywhere that served Western food. Having said that, I’d had a rough morning at work and I needed to get out of the building. So I ventured back to my old favourite, the food court in the basement of my local mall. The wonders of this place are numerous:

1. None of my colleagues go there, preferring McDonalds or Subway, so I know I won’t be disturbed.
2. It is a mall but it’s not flashy or westernized. There’s no Gucci or fancy shop fronts, just little stalls pedalling their wares.
3. Being in the basement, it’s always a comfortable temperature. When it’s hot outside, it’s cool inside and vice versa.
4. The greatest wonder of this place is the incredible variety of freshly cooked Chinese food. When I say fresh, we’re talking cooked in front of you and ready to eat within a minute of ordering. Mmm-mm!
5. The staff are so friendly. They always remember me and what I like to eat! As I walked down the row of stalls, it was nihao after nihao. 

Where was I? Oh yes, I’d had a crappy morning at work and it was a wet and unseasonably chilly day. I was welcomed back into the fold and I headed straight to the baozi stall. The lady warmly greeted me and knew exactly what I wanted. I was presented with a piping bamboo steamer and a pair of kuaizi. The dumplings were nestled together, proud and cosy and reviving. I looked around me whilst savouring the doughy warmth of the baozi and saw the benches full of people chatting and like me, finding comfort in their lunch.  Knowing the Chinese people’s love of food, this place feels like the beating heart of china. This is where the food is made that fuels and comforts the workers. Where people reconnect with each other and with food.

Lost in thought and still a bit clumsy with chopsticks, I managed to drop half a baozi down my front. The lady opposite handed me a tissue. I thank her and using my basic mandarin, we had a little conversation. About food of course.

And that’s how I fell back in love with Chinese food. I love this place!