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For and unusual and unique dining experience check out having a meal at the seafood market. For the foreigner who is used to clean, green and dry dining experiences this is something completely different. Here, we are heading into China as the Chinese know it, so forget the norm. First you jump into a cab and head down to Huangsha Wholesale seafood market-this is the seafood market that supplies Guangzhou(GZ), so most of the fish you eat in local restaurants comes from here. It is a standard market---people, motocycles, cars, fish and whatever everywhere-you splash through puddles and slip over on dead fish and just look at what is available.
The trick now is to find a big or small restaurant and there are many scattered around. These restaurants are different. You buy the raw and moving creatures on the market and they cook it for between 10 and 15 yuan per jin (half Kg). Now is the time to go for a splash around the market while you are buying your lunch, and here bargaining skills are a must but you must also watch for other things. The most common trick of the trade is water in bag so the weight is heavier. The food is alive and very fresh so be careful it doesn't jump out of the bag.
When you have got enough to eat head back to the restaurant and they reweigh everything and that is when you find how much water is in the bag. Cooking doesn't take much time so before you know it the food is ready on the table and I must admit it was good. Knocking back shrimp, some creepy crawly things with the snails and crabs was the highlight of the day. The restaurant we found was exceptional, the food and service was excellent except they were a bit skimpy on the napkins, and it has little fishing boat by the front door. I thought it was a model but they assured me it was the real thing. So far something different have ago, it is pretty good as long as you don't slip over when you are buying your lunch.
(Southcn.com November 27, 2002)
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