In January 2019 I traveled to Hubei province of China. This was my very first trip of the year (my last trip was to Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province). Also, this was the first time for me to visit Hubei (I work in Suzhou, Jiangsu). I was obviously super excited as I visited three provincial cities – Wuhan, Jingzhou and Yichang. It was overall a very good experience.
One of the most important aspects of Hubei trip was to eat the local authentic Chinese street food – the Hot Dry Noodles (commonly known as Re Gan Mian).
In fact, earlier in March 2018, I had visited Hefei city, in Anhui province and I was so impressed by the Hefei street food that I even wrote a blog about the same.
Check this one out-
I’m indeed a fan of China and its culture, and no wonder, I love Chinese food. So, in this post, let me share with you photos and some other details about Hubei noodles. All the photos were clicked in Hubei.
Name
Hubei province of China is famous for its variety of noodles. There are simply so many varieties of the noodles that you’d always love to try. One of such noodles is known as the Hot Dry Noodles (热干面, Re Gan Mian). The name is derived from the fact that these noodles are slightly warm and usually don’t contain the soup.
Taste
The noodles taste a bit sour and often have no added sugar. Some extra vegetables might be added to enhance the taste. As such, if you are in Hubei province, eating these noodles is definitely one of the top things to do. During my weeklong provincial trip, I ate Hubei noodles at least 20 times! You heard me right – I just loved the taste.
Surprisingly, these noodles don’t taste the same if you eat outside Hubei province.
Ingredients
The common ingredients of Hubei Noodles include onion, soya/local sauce, vinegar, local spices, etc. Normally, you’d be asked whether you’d want to add some chili.
Cost
Fret not, the famous Hubei noodles are very much affordable! Usually, one bowl of noodles would cost you RMB 4 (even in Wuhan, the provincial capital city). The cost of the Hot Dry Noodles is usually fixed and nearly the same throughout the province.
Only a couple of times I might have paid RMB 5 for a bowl of the Re Gan Mian, but then the quantity was more than that of RMB 4/bowl. Once, at the Jingzhou railway station, the price was RMB 10/bowl (food prices at the railway stations could be slightly higher).
Availability
The famous Hubei noodles are available throughout the province, including those on the railway stations, hawker centers, roadsides, etc. Also, if you wish to feel the real taste of Re Gan Mian, you should eat at the small shops located along the roadside.
As you’ll be walking in Hubei province, you’ll see so many small restaurants selling these noodles. Just see if there are some locals eating out there. If you see a crowd, it’ll be a very reliable indication of the taste of the noodles.
Also, at some of the local restaurants, the noodles may not be available during the lunch time. Guess why? Well, because the raw materials might have been over during the breakfast time (breakfast starts around 6am onward, despite the season being too cold).
Side dishes
Along with the Re Gan Mian, you’ll be served with some side dishes, such as soup or some pickles. Here are a couple of photos from Yichang city-
- North Korean Culture – Please Respect the Country and Its Leaders
- Why to Travel to North Korea? Is North Korea Worth It?
How about other noodles?
Well, yes! As I mentioned earlier, apart from the famous Re Gan Mian, there are so many other types of noodles in Hubei province (such as the hand-pulled noodles). Here are some more photos-
Now I’m back to Suzhou and trying to find the Hubei noodles in Suzhou. 🙂
In summary, I loved eating Hubei Hot Dry Noodles. I can’t recommend more! If you are in Hubei, you must do two things – visit the Three Gorges Dam and do check out the Re Gan Mian at the local restaurants, in all likelihood you’d love them.
That’s all in this Hubei Hot Dry Noodles review blog-post. If you have any question about traveling, living or working in China, do let me know! Feel free to post in our forum so that others could also contribute and learn. For regular updates like us on Facebook, or follow on Twitter!
If you find the write-ups useful, don’t forget to buy me a beer!
Wish you a great time travelling to Hubei and eating Hubei Hot Dry Noodles! Do let know your experiences with the Hubei Noodles.
Cheers!
Last updated: Tuesday, January 29, 2019