Scorpion on a Stick - Beijing, China

Roasted Scorpion on a Stick. Squid tentacles on a stick. It's unfortunate I didn't photograph other foods on a stick like roasted cicadas, crickets, and lizard. These were not isolated offerings but available in a number of competing stalls in a very well known and packed market square in Beijing.


How about a nice Starfish lollipop?

It was about $2 USD. Now most importantly: Was it good? It was...mmm....I don't know. I chickened out on the scorpion. I had reservations about the poison and passed. I was later told the cooking destroys the poison.

Various Beijing Restaurants - Beijing, China

March 18, 2008

After a few minutes in Beijing, I could only believe money and politics were the reasons the 2008 Olympics would be held here.

Beijing felt like Tim Burton's Gotham City come to life; dark, gray, devoid of joy, populated by people who look through you. Maybe the summer Olympics broadcasters will report on the indomitable spirit and charm of this nation but when you dwell among the people, you are left with a totally different perspective, one that doesn't typify the spirit of an Olympic city.

Now let's turn to the food of Beijing. March 18, 2008 dinner.

We were part of a tour group and meals with the dishes placed on a Lazy Susan. The experience should have been enjoyable and relaxing but we were grouped with gluttons who shoveled the lion's share of food into their bowls and left the crumbs for us dogs. I really don't remember what the food tasted like because our first priority was to grab what we could to fill our stomachs. As such, I took only a few photos of the food and restaurants on this tour.

March 19, 2008 lunch




March 19, 2008 Dinner




At this place pictured above, we ate Peking Duck, the national dish of China (or is it Beijing Duck?).

March 20, 2008 lunch


March 21, 2008 lunch



March 22, 2008 lunch

The guard didn't like me taking pictures.

Narita International Airport NRT- Narita, Japan

Despite the number of people, the environment felt subdued, almost tranquil. The young female Japanese desk attendant that helped check us in was the most polite and courteous attendant I've ever dealt with.  She bowed and handed my passport back with both hands.  If only this courtesy was present stateside...

There are a number of restaurants but we had no yen in our pockets.

Papaya Salad - Double Dragon

I was at Double Dragon Foods grocery store and noticed a line of customers at their "deli" area. There was a lady preparing something for the customers but I didn't pay much heed to it. I became curious as a steady line of customers continued to build. I walked to the counter to see bins of various vegetables. One bin had long stringy stuff which I couldn't quite make out but initially thought was onions or bean sprout minus the bean but turned out to be green papaya. The sign read "Fresh Papaya Salad".

I watched as the lady asked customers what they wanted and then she turned to a large mortar and put in garlic, Thai bird chili peppers, sugar(?), tomatoes, lime, long beans, Thai eggplant, a scoop of thick chunky sauce, fish sauce, peanuts, and shredded papaya. There was a certain order that she tossed ingredients in, pounding with pestle, adding more ingredients, pounding with pestle, continuing this cycle until she felt it was ready and then scooping out a sample for the customers to try.

I decided I had to try some ($3.99 for the size pictured above, $5.99 for the large). I asked the gal in front of me how it tasted, mostly concerned with how much heat it had and the fish sauce which it seemed the preparer added liberally. The gal ordered hers with 5 chili peppers. I ordered mine with only 1 chili pepper and as it turned out, it was at my limit of heat.

What's this stuff taste like? It was salty, tart, "fishy", and mildly sweet. I loved the crunchy and varied texture. Longbeans I've always had cooked and this was the first time I had it raw. Now I prefer raw longbeans over cooked. I've never had raw Thai eggplant before. It added a nice texture but it seemed neutral/bitter in taste. The papaya was the big surprise in that I expected it to be sweet and soft but it was crunchy and didn't really seem to have its own flavor but soaked in the flavor of the sauces.

The minus side of this papaya salad? It was too salty and a bit on the fishy side. For those who haven't had fish sauce before, a little goes a long ways and the smell can be overpowering.

Papaya Salad is good, different, and cheap eating, what this blog is all about. We had enough for 3 meals making this cheap. It definitely is different. The good will be subjective. The long line was testimony of good but I believe the typical Midwest palate will be challenged to get the fork beyond the nose.

Double Dragon Foods
121 Maryland Ave W
St Paul, MN