How I Holiday: Venice Qin Had The Best Tofu Pudding Of Her Life In Beijing

Welcome to How I Holiday, a series of travel stories and recommendations shared by friends of Urban List from Aotearoa and Australia.

Beijing is a place you’ll want to visit hungry. Sydney-based, Kiwi-born musician Venice Qin knows this well. She visits the bustling Chinese city every two years with her folks, adding new dishes to her culinary bucket list. The pop singer has just released her debut album 奔月 MOONLANDING”—an album capturing big feelings in super catchy pop bops. To celebrate, we asked her to take us to her favourite holiday destination and share some travel tips firsthand. 

Tell us about Beijing and why it’s a special place for you? 

Ever since I can remember, I’ve visited China every few years to see family. Even though my extended family live in the Hubei and Guangxi provinces, my parents and I have often flown to Beijing to spend quality time together. 

It’s one of my favourite cities, and we recently passed through it on our way to Ordos to film the music video for my song “ANGEL”. 

What's the food scene like?

It’s a beautiful blend of traditional cuisine and international dining. Trying local dishes such as Peking duck is a must, as well as Beijing Zha Jiang Mian, Tanghulu (candied skewers). I also ate the best tofu pudding of my life in Beijing; they covered it with brown sugar and it was divine. 

For travellers saving cash, where's the best spot for cheap eats? 

For the authentic experience, Hutongs (alleys) are the way to go. Check out Wudaoying, Nanluguxiang and Dongsi. You can expect jianbing (savory crepes), steamed buns and skewers, all at a very cheap price. 

What about for breakfast? Where are the non-negotiables to visit? 

Depends on what you feel like. I’ve always found the Chinese breakfast experience to be so different to Western breakfast, so you should definitely try out traditional Chinese breakfast foods such as Soy milk and YouTiao (fried dough sticks) at Yonghe King, or any neighbourhood breakfast stall. Jianbing (Chinese savoury crepe) is one of my personal favourites. 

Which boutique hotels do you recommend? 

CHAO Sanlitun, because I love the Sanlitun area and it’s surrounded by great shopping options. Another one is The Orchid, as it’s tucked in the Hutongs, and you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by authentic Chinese culture. 

What's something that will surprise first-time visitors about Beijing? 

To me, Beijing is the epitome of “old meeting new”. From the Forbidden City, Great Wall of China and the Hutongs, to the futuristic skyscrapers, shopping malls and the 798 Art Zone, Beijing truly has it all.