Mongolian food is the main stream of the food culture in Ordos, which is made into two categories: food and drink, such as milk tofu and milk tea. Meat is the favorite food of Mongolian people. Mongolian people also eat cereals, generally fried rice and pasta. This part will offer you information about Ordos food, Ordos specialties, what and where to eat in Ordos.
Kumis is basically fermented dairy product made from mare's milk and has a slightly sour taste with a small percentage of alcohol. The drink remains important to the Mongolian, and it is also an indispensable one on festival and other proud occasions. You should give it a try when you travel to Inner Mongolia.
Yangbeizi, which is a traditional Mongolian dish usually served at three occasions in Inner Mongolia: in banquets, being presented as gifts, or as tributes. It is mutton in chunks cooked in a special way: the meat of the whole sheep is divided into eight chunks - the skull, chest, back, waist, tail, legs, and limbs. After being cooked, they are placed together to form the shape of a whole sheep. Tourists can also try Yangbeizi banquet, which is a grand and exciting event for the host to treat guests.
Hand-grabbed mutton, also called Hand-picked mutton, is one of the most popular foods for Inner Mongolian people, and derives its name from the habit of eating with the hands. The cooking process is very simple: cut the mutton into handy chunks, boil them in cold water, skim off the fat from the soup, and seasoning to taste and then boil until they are nearly well-done. You can try it in most of the restaurants in Ordos.
Stir-fried millet, or "Horisenbada" in Mongolian, is a favorite food among the people of Inner Mongolia. It is made from millet through cooking processes including boiling, frying and crushing. It can be divided into crispy stir-fried millet and hard stir-fried millet. The natives usually eat the stir-fried millet with Mongolian milk tea.
Mongolian milk tea, or Suutei tsai in Mongolian, forms an important part of Inner Mongolian people's daily cuisine, which they drink every morning. They usually mix milk tea with some stir-fried millet. After drinking some for a while, they cut small pieces of cooked lamb or beef boiled the day before and soak them in the tea to eat together. Mongolian milk tea tastes clean and leaves with no mutton aftertaste.
To help you have a clue in places to eat in Ordos, China Dragon Tours lists some restaurants and places where you can have the most authentic dishes in Ordos.
Address: West Gate of Aolin Garden, Xindadi (新大地奥林花园西门)
Tel: 0477-2266013
Opening Hours: 07:30-14:00 17:30-21:30
Description: It is a famous chain store providing local delicacies and snacks, milk tea and hand-picked mutton are highly recommended the must-try dishes.
Address: No. 3, Public Building, Aolin Garden, Tianjiao Road (天骄南路维邦奥林花园公建03座)
Tel: 4008207320
Opening Hours: 11:00-14:00 17:00-21:00
Description: It is a well-known chain store which can be seen in major cities in China, you should try the local dishes and snacks there.
Address: 500 meters away from the municipal government (市政府南500米)
Tel: (0477)3115555
Opening Hours: 09:00-21:00
Description: We highly recommend you to pay a visit to Kangbashi Food Plaza and try the Mongolian food there, it is authentic in flavour at reasonable price, all kinds of Mongolian dishes are offered in the plaza.
Address: Opposite the Tieniu Hotel, Yingbin Road (迎宾路铁牛大酒店对面)
Tel:0477-2266066
Opening Hours: 10:00-23:00
Description: It is one of the famous chain store Little Sheep, why not try authentic flavor of mutton hot pot in place of origin.