The son of some of my parents’ friends married a girl from Shanghai and brought her home to America with him, and a week later his parents delightedly took her to… the China Buffet II, all you can eat for 4.99.
My folks and I about died laughing at the idea, but when I asked her what she thought of it, she said it was wonderful to be able to speak Chinese to the staff (and that the food was a little strange). But really, she was a lot more interested in the chance to take a break from English for a bit than she was in the General Tso’s Chicken. (“What is General Tso? We do not have, in Shanghai.”)
Oh, yes there is. Try finding the multiple varieties of Coke and Pepsi in Beijing/Tianjin.
See if he likes Mountain Dew. It’s not available in Beijing, and the formula in Shanghai is quite different from America’s.
Doritos are rare, so see if he likes Ranch Doritos. I believe those have no cheese.
By the way, don’t assume he’s lactose intollerant. I’ve known tons of Beijing Ren(Beijingers) who aren’t. Quality Ice Cream(Ben and Jerry, Baskin Robbins) is much cheaper here than there, so see if he likes it.
Most Chinese snack food is not available here. Take him to a Grocery Store and show him the Potato Chip/Snack Aisle. Take smelling smalts incase he faints at the amount of “junk food” we have.
Perhaps not those exact types, but none of those are foods that are completely alien to the Chinese, the guy isn’t going to think you’re crazy if you presented him with a bottle of Genuine Coca-Cola or a bag of doritos, there’s nothing strange about carbonated cola and seasoned corn chips.
OTOH, being presented with a dish that was composed mostly of cheese will probably garner the same reaction as presenting an American with a plate of stir-fried cicadas, a treat not uncommon at Beijing buffet tables. I gather this is what the OP wishes to avoid.
IME there is a greater variety of junk food(and food in general) available in Chinese cities than US ones.
That’s because all rational people love BBQ ribs. Plus barbeque as most of us outside of the South/Midwest think of it, with the dark goopy sauce, is not a very different concept from teriyaki. (FWIW, the Rice King across the street from me also sells BBQ stuff.)
He may or may not be lactose-intolerant, but I’d play it safe and cook without milk or other foods containing lactose until he arrives and you can ask him. I’m not lactose intolerant, but from what I’ve heard it can be pretty unpleasant if you are and eat the wrong thing.
I was wondering if something similar might happen if he were presented with a salad full of raw vegetables, or given a cold drink with dinner (sort of like how some Americans react when encountering sushi for the first time). If someone who knows more about this than I do wants to correct me on that, though, that’s fine.
One of those buffets might not be a bad idea. I know they’re very popular with the Chinese people around here, but so are the other buffets. Man, those itty bitty grannies can pack it away! (look of respectful awe from a fat guy) They are also popular with Asian trade missions of all sorts. I don’t know about where liirogue lives but half our Chinese buffets are owned and run by Koreans so the student may have trouble speaking her language with the help.
oddly enough, unflavored chiccharrones, i have a whonking big bag of da heo phong [must be chinese for fried pork rinds =)] sitting by my desk. Dried fruit - very specifically haw, though i have seen figs, dates, apricots, apple slices and papaya spears as well in the chinese grocery I use. Candy wise, the sesame seeds in honey sticks are popular.
Cao Nguyen has a whole aisle of junk food / cookies, but I haven’t the foggiest what to get beyond dumplings and ramen (which are pretty standard everywhere that I’ve heard). The only ones I know are Taiwanese, which is a long way from Beijing.
Oh, and get some sesame oil. You can make a pretty decent dumpling sauce with soy and sesame oil.
Do ask the clerks for help, they’re pretty nice, especially if it’s not busy. Ask the ones at the front; the guys stocking shelves generally don’t speak much English. If you’re good in Spanish, you can usually find some stockers to help.
I can’t remember exactly where the supermarket is, it’s been a while since I’ve been there. A little bit north and east of the old Cao (not the new giant one). Within a couple of miles. Unless it’s gone; I can’t find it in the phonebook.
There’s another place at 23rd and Walker, but I don’t care for it as much.
A visiting friend of mine raved about my ribs as well. He said they were better than the TonyRoma ribs he got when visting Singapore.
The first meal I got with my team when I visited Beijing was Duck tounge. As to chicken feet, I told my friend that our son liked chicken feet at the local dum sum place. He said “of course, all children like chicken feet”.
You can get Chinese snack foods in Asian grocery stores. I personally love shrimp chips (mm mm), which you can probably find a recipe for online if you must. Melon and coconut juices are popular with most of my fresh-off-the-boat friends, and I LOVE Yan Yans (which are Japanese, but my Chinese friends and I all love 'em, and I hear that they are very popular in Hong Kong, at least)!
I think noodle dishes are a safe bet too. Rice is more a staple of South China, whereas the Northern Chinese are more fond of breads and noodles. You can never go wrong with a nice beef noodle soup.