Mitch Moxley
From Saturday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 08:23PM EDT
There's an old saying that the Chinese "will eat anything with four legs except a table and anything that flies except an airplane."
That claim is put to the test at the Donghuamen Night Market in Beijing. Every evening, a mix of camera-wielding tourists and locals gather at this 2,000-square-metre bazaar, where red lanterns mark vendors hawking standard Beijing street fare such as boiled corn — as well as slightly more exotic dishes including fried scorpion and lamb penis.
Truth be told, while the unsuspecting Olympic visitor to Beijing might find a crispy duck's head or sautéed pig's intestine on their plate, most people I have met here certainly do not eat everything but tables and planes.
But maybe they should. On a recent visit to Donghuamen (better known as "Snack Street"), I found most of the samplings surprisingly delicious. Not to mention good for your health. Or so the vendors kept telling me. Donghuamen Night Market is open daily from 5:30 to 10 p.m. It's located on Donghuamen Dajie.
Click here to see a photo gallery of Snack Street.
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