Chinese Hot Dog Tour

We're off to Beijing in search of the ultimate rouchang (hot dog). We'll review Henry J. Bean's and the All American Hot Dog Stand (if we can find it). A full report will follow in April.

CSD

Chinese Hot Dogs?! Okay I, for one, can't wait to here about this road trip.

CSD, I am really envious of your trip. I cannot imagine anything anymore fun that traveling to someplace really neat on a food adventure.

Chinese hot dogs???? I cannot wait to hear the description. Perhaps you will offer them at your stand?

I cannot wait for your writings upon your return. I am sure that you will enjoy many of the delights of the orient during your visit.


Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Talk about your "Cooks Tour"!!!This report will be a MUST READ!!!! Have a wonderfull trip!!!!and PLEASE---bring back PICTURES!!!

I've read about rouchang. As I recall, they serve cooked hotdogs, cold and wrapped in plastic that you peel as you eat. No buns, no condiments. If that's the case I can only hope that you have culture-shock insurance.

Thanks to everyone. I'll take plenty of pictures and some interesting stories. BTW, Hormel Foods opened a meat plant in Beijing a few years ago. Currently, they are the largest producer of hot dogs in China. Gotta go!

CSD

After doing a "Google" on rouchang, I found this, which is even wilder than I could have imagined:

China Loves American Hot Dogs

Here, American franks are mostly consumed by younger Chinese and the well-to-do, but U.S. manufacturers are looking at what is possible in the near future: in Beijing alone, there are 10 million potential consumers who are already biting into American fast food and are anxious for more options. The potential is so great that at least one major U.S. company is building hot dog manufacturing plants in China, with other companies eyeing the market carefully.

In selling to China, U.S. marketers are quickly learning to adapt to the Chinese way of eating hot dogs which, in a word, is unique. The popular sensation is "Rouchang," a fully cooked, cold hot dog wrapped in red plastic which the Chinese eat like a popsicle, slowly peeling the red plastic down as they go. Sold in supermarkets, food stands, and on the street, "Rouchang" is eaten cold and taken everywhere as a snack. Also, coming into its own is the warmed hot dog which vendors serve on a stick. In this version, consumers eat the hot dog solo -- without a bun or any condiments.

American hot dog exporters also have learned that Chinese consumers like their hot dogs sweet. And like their Russian counterparts, the Chinese prefer franks made from poultry although hot dogs are also selling in beef, pork, mixed meat and pepperoni varieties.

Very common here in the Chinese bakeries that I often go to here in Los Angeles is a hot dog in a croissant. They usually take an honored place right next to the baked BBQ pork buns. While I'm sure it's not a Chinese invention, it certainly does point out that the Chinese do love their dogs!

Have fun CSD! Be intresting to read about your finds...

This might be my big opportunity to open a chain of Chicago hot dog stands with no competition, unless Dick Portillo beats me to it.

Given that we're talking about China, maybe you'd better make sure they're not made out of real dogs...

In Bucerias Mexico, within 20 miles of Puerto Vallerta, we found hot dogs to be common on pizza. They too used chicken as the meat source.

In Burbank, CA there's a little "teriyaki bowl" stand called Yaki's. They sell something called a "Bulldog." It's a hot dog and American cheese wrapped in a spring roll and deep-fried. It's not bad.

We returned from Beijing Thursday night. The trip was great! The flight was awful(12-13 hours, non-stop from Chicago).We went with a group of 10 people. I recommend visiting China with a small tour group or hiring an english speaking guide. Very few in China speak english. Henry J. Beans(a Restaurant chain from England) was in the hotel next to ours. Unfortunately, it had gone out of business a year ago and The All American Hot Dog Stand was no where to be found. Everything in China is written in Chinese script and their alphabet has over 200 characters. Unless you know someone who's bilingual, you'll be illiterate. We did see places selling hot dogs in Beijing. They were either on the rollers at the tourist traps or sizzling on flat grills at the street markets. The Chinese eat their hot dogs on a stick. No buns, no condiments. I was leary about purchasing a hot dog from a street vendor and the roller dogs were filled with globs of fat and very greasy. The Chinese love our fast food restuarants. McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC's were all over the place and packed with locals. A double cheeseburger super sized meal sells for $2 U.S. Beijing is a very crowded city: 11 million people. Most ride no speed bikes. More cars and more traffic than Chicago or NYC. Rush hour is 24/7 with lots of pollution and smog. Lots of respiratory problems. More to follow on Sunday and pictures will be down loaded in a week.

CSD

I was in Bejiing a couple of years ago.
I did not have hot dogs on my mind in China.
But, the Peking (Bejiing) duck which we sampled
in two different restaurants was outstanding.
And the street food in Bejiing, was an absolutely
fabulous experience. We sampled bird on a stick
about 1 dollar US, lo mein, soup, and various chicken
and pork offerings. Outstanding taste and most
dishes were 50 cents to 75 cents. Oh yeah, the
shoe shines were about 15 cents. Loved it.
Can't wait to hear more about your experiences,
Chicago.

Looking forward to hearing more, what was the group you taveled with?

Our tour group was a total of 9 mixed nuts and our local acupuncturist/herbalist. Once in Beijing, the tour was led by a very nice Chinese guide named Chen. We stayed at the Hotel JingLun which included a daily buffet breakfast. One of my favorite breakfasts included tea eggs, which are hard boiled in tea. The first two days were spent on a bus touring the following: Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Underground City, the Emperor's Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and the Ming Tombs. The next three days, were on our own. While everyone else went shopping for pearls and NorthFakes, we cabbed it and took the subway in search of organic teas, exotic kites, sports equipment, and hot dogs. We ate the finest Peking duck at Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, located at the end of a maddeningly elusive alley. This is the oldest restaurant serving Peking Duck in China. We pedicabbed our way through the hutongs, the ancient narrow streets, and visited a courtyard-style family residence. We lunched at a Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant, similar to a fondue, and did tea tasting sessions at three tea houses. A cabbie chased us on foot for three blocks after I paid him only 1/2 a fare. No cab ride in the city of Beijing should be more than 20 yuan. He demanded 40, I gave him 20, and then the fun began. Try running down a crowded side walk and blending in with the locals being chased by a screaming cab driver. In the end, he caught us, produced a receipt for 25 yuan, and we settled. It created quite a street scene. People are constantly trying to sell Rolexes and post cards on the street. The latest scam is someone who speaks perfect english, portraying an art student. They want you to follow them down an alley to view their art. When ever this happened, I told them that I was a tour guide or said I was an art student with work to sell. This always ended the scam. Being a large person, people would pat my stomach. They thought I was the happy Budda. I always returned the pat. Two can play at this game! The trip was great, I enjoyed the food, and would definitely return. I'll get pictures down loaded in the future.

He produced a reciept for 25 yuan, which you settled...25 MORE yuan, or 25 total? for sure, the cab driver didnt share your conviction about cab fares Beijing. I cant believe you just tried to run out on the cab bill. Falling of my chair laughin