The Yu cuisine, typical of Zhengzhou and Henan, takes as its inspiration the flavours and textures of the grains and animals of the region.
Hui mian, a speciality noodle variant, is a popular food in Zhengzhou and is available in many restaurants. Kallen Zhang, editor of the Zzconnect website, believes nothing says Zhengzhou more than he ji hui mian, the hand-stretched wide noodles in a mutton broth that includes goji berries, cilantro and tofu skin.
To try this noodle dish at its best, Brad Coleman, corporate executive chef and director of international culinary operations at Big Stone F&B Management, recommends going to He Ji Hui Mian, one of the city's most famous restaurants. Another local treat is hu la tang (foreign spicy soup), a mix of broth, ground meat and vegetable paste typically served at breakfast, often with fried breadsticks. Sichuan pepper is the defining spice, although aniseed, fennel and ginger are often added. Some of the city's best hu la tang is served at Xiao Yao Zhen Hu La Tang.
Zhengzhou roast duck is not to be missed. Coleman praises the dish as "much cheaper than its Beijing cousin, but still dead on with flavour and presentation". The dish is prepared in a similar manner to Beijing roast duck, coming with leeks and thin pancakes and a delightful sauce. Try this at the popular Awu Delicious Food.
For tourists looking for something that reminds them of the West, but that is still delightfully local, give the Guo Guo yang rou tang (Guo country mutton soup) a try. This dish features chopped mutton spiced with cumin that is then stuffed inside a crisp biscuit-style bread. To Coleman, the dish is somewhere between a mutton sandwich and a Chinese taco.
Given the city's long association with the Yellow River, fish is also a key local ingredient. Zhang recommends the braised local carp with crisp noodles. The carp is soaked in water, seared at a high temperature and then finished in a pot with sauce to soak in the flavour.