Jin is short for Shanxi Province. Jin Cai means the Shanxi Cuisine. When traveling in Taiyuan, Jin Cai should not be missed. The Shanxi Cuisine has a salty flavor accompanied by a little sweet and sour. The methods of cooking include deep-frying, stir-frying, quick-frying, grilling and braising. And the traditional dishes of Jin Cai include Ba Si Shan Yao (Chinese Yam in Hot Toffee), Guo Shao Yang Rou (Braised Mutton), Fu Ru Rou (Braised Pork with Pickled Bean Curd Sauce) and Tang Cu Yu (Sweet and Sour Fish).
Taiyuan Tou Nao, the most delicious snack in Taiyuan, literarily means Brain or Head. In fact, it is the mutton soup with yam and lotus root. The dish is full of flavor and is a nutritious food ideal for warding off winter colds.
Taiyuan Food Street
This street is situated in the center of Taiyuan City. If you would like to taste the snacks from all over the country, come to this street. Antique pavilions, memorial archways on this street replicate the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties and so add greatly to the atmosphere of the area.
On either side of the street entrance, there are two snack bars, the Jian Nan Chun Restaurant and Famous Chengdu Snacks; both serve Sichuan snacks. Otherwise, delicacies from the whole country can be found here, Hunan cuisine, Sichuan hotpots, Lanzhou beef noodles and Shanxi local dishes and western food from foreign countries are served in plenty on this street.