Then there’s Guiyang, Guizhou’s capital, a city rich in minority heritage in southwest China. During my first visit in 2021, I discovered its food strikes the perfect balance of punchy sourness and spice.
Sitting on a tiny stool in a smoke-filled room echoing with the clink of Tsingtao bottles, the hiss of sizzling woks, and the cheers of inebriated patrons, I slurped my first sour fish soup — a staple that has become the province’s signature dish, and for good reason.
The addictively fermented tomato broth is seasoned with floral peppercorn, coriander, lemongrass, and ginger. A buttery river fish simmers within it, surrounded by everything from leafy greens and sliced bamboo to tofu and mushrooms.
After sunset, the city transforms into one sprawling night market, with plastic tables and chairs lining Quanlin Pedestrian Street. A nightly feast often involves laoguo, a form of dry pot that pairs perfectly with a frothy beer. While this quintessential street-dining culture is becoming rarer in China’s major cities, it’s alive and well in Guiyang, drawing me back year after year.
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