Food in Xi'an

Our first night in Xi'an was a bit of a whirlwind. We arrived in the evening and immediately checked into our hotel. Our guide recommended dinner at a restaurant a few blocks from our hotel. Her first question was, "Do you like spicy food?"

Why, yes, yes we do. So she ordered this:

Whoa! A plate of all different types of peppers with a few beef strips. It was super spicy, but very delicious.

After dinner we walked around a bit in Xi'an. The city was very clean and reminded me of Japan. Pedestrians wait at crosswalks, cars stay in their respective lanes, roads are lined with flowers and bushes - all things that were missing in Beijing. While exploring we crossed an open block that a few hours before had been empty. Now it was filled with food carts providing a quick meal. Many carts set out small (and I mean kid-sized) chairs so you could sit to eat ramen or rice bowls.