Dishes you must try
- Tujia three-pot (sandixiaguo): the signature, spicy and moreish;
- Western-Hunan steamed cured meats: bacon and sausage steamed together;
- Rock-ear chicken stew: mountain fungus with free-range chicken, rich and savory;
- Sour fish and sour pork: Western-Hunan pickle flavor;
- Zhangjiajie rice noodles: a breakfast bowl with savory broth.
Snacks and night markets
- Kudzu powder, glutinous rice cakes and she-rice;
- BBQ and stir-fried river shrimp are night-market favorites.
Ordering pitfalls
- Local food is spicy — say so if you can’t take heat;
- Order the three-pot dish by headcount; portions are big;
- In-park dining is pricey — have main meals down the mountain.
