Jiapin Restaurant joins hands with Hubei Building to jointly launch authentic Hubei cuisine
Land of a Thousand Lakes, Hubei’s Homely Taste
Fine Food at Kerry, Warm Hubei in Every Bite
Jiapin Restaurant teams up with Hubei Building to present authentic Hubei cuisine.
A Province of Thousand Lakes, Blessed by Nature
Fresh River Delicacies of Chu, Down-to-Earth Street Bites
Warm fleeting flavors amid ordinary days all year round
Fine tastes at Kerry, the soul of culinary Hubei
A thoroughfare linking nine provinces,
Endowed with abundant natural bounty.
River delicacies of Chu mingle with street snacks,
Composing a feast of earthly delights.
As seasons come and go, warm culinary charm endures;
Savor authentic Hubei flavors right here at Kerry.
Discover the exquisite flavors of Hubei cuisine at Kerry's Kitchen.
Hot Dry Noodles, Braised Beef Noodles, Glutinous Rice Chicken, Crunchy Dough Rings
Hot Dry Noodles
One bowl of noodles, one city’s morning breath.
Reganmian (Hot Dry Noodles) ranks among China’s Top Ten Noodles and is the most famous snack in Wuhan, Hubei Province. It is made with alkaline noodles. Given the sweltering summers in Wuhan, edible alkali is added to prevent the noodles from spoiling; this also makes the noodles more resistant to overcooking and chewier in texture.
In preparation, the noodles are first fully cooked, then cooled, tossed in oil and “fluffed” by tossing up and down. Sesame paste, sesame oil, black vinegar, chili oil, spiced preserved vegetables and other seasonings are poured over them afterward. The finished dish features glossy golden noodles that are thin, springy, smooth and firm, coated in rich, aromatic sauce.
In the early 20th century, street food vendor Li Bao built on existing noodle-making techniques. He boiled noodles, drained the water, tossed them with sesame oil, and created this uniquely flavorful hot dry noodle. The food perfectly embodies the inclusive character of Wuhan locals — delicate yet unrestrained. It is an indispensable part of Jingchu folk customs and culinary culture.
Beef Noodles
Rich hearty broth, tender fall-apart beef — the undisputed king of Wuhan breakfast.
In Wuhan, hot dry noodles are an indispensable breakfast staple, while spicy red oil beef noodles are a beloved treat locals indulge in whenever they have time. When eating beef noodles, Wuhan people value rich, hearty broth and ultra-tender beef: the meat is soft and succulent without falling apart, bursting with aroma the moment it hits the palate and requiring little effort to chew. Most local beef noodle restaurants insist on alkaline noodles, which stay firm after lengthy boiling and excel at soaking up broth.
Every specialty eatery has its own unique secret to simmering soup. Flavors vary from spicy and fragrant chili oil, aromatic numbing beef tallow, to sweet-spicy tastes with a pleasant lingering finish, creating a vibrant and diverse street food culture. This noodle dish has remained an enduring classic at small eateries all over Wuhan, sustaining many time-honored noodle shops for decades.
Glutinous Rice Chicken
It’s named glutinous rice chicken, yet there is not a shred of chicken inside.
Wuhan glutinous rice chicken is one of the staple breakfast foods for locals in Wuhan. Steamed glutinous rice is mixed with diced shiitake mushrooms, dried tofu, preserved mustard tuber, braised pork cubes and other ingredients, then rolled into balls. Each rice ball is coated with a thin layer of batter and deep-fried in boiling hot oil until golden brown.
The finished glutinous rice chicken boasts a golden exterior with bumpy texture resembling chicken skin, hence its name. Curiously, it contains no chicken meat and does not take the shape of a chicken at all. It gets its name simply because its crispy outer layer tastes just like fried chicken skin. One bite reveals crispy, fragrant crust outside and soft, savory glutinous rice inside, with rich umami flavors of mushrooms and diced meat unfolding between every grain of rice.
Crunchy Dough Rings
A century-long history in every crispy bite.
Crunchy Dough Rings are one of the iconic local snacks unique to Hubei Province, originating during the Guangxu reign of the late Qing Dynasty. Evolved from sesame flatbread, they boast a history of more than a hundred years to this day.
Despite the name suggesting wheat dough, they are not made from wheat flour at all. Rice and soybeans are soaked in proportion, ground together into batter, seasoned with condiments, poured into specially designed convex iron ladles, sprinkled with black sesame seeds, and deep-fried in hot oil. Thick around the edges and extremely thin at the center, the middle collapses into a hollow indentation, hence the Wuhan local name “Mianwo” (Crunchy Dough Ring).
Freshly fried Crunchy Dough Rings feature golden, crispy crackling crust that makes a crisp popping sound when bitten into. The interior is soft and tender, blending the savory aroma of rice batter with the roasted nuttiness of sesame seeds. Eating them piping hot is what brings out the very soul of this classic snack.
