KUNMING City is the bustling capital and the largest city of the Yunnan Province in Southwestern China. Serving as a gateway and a vital transport hub in Southern China, it attracts visitors from all over the globe.
During my trip to Guizhou, our journey led us through Kunming International Airport before we hopped on a high-speed train to Guizhou. On my return journey home, I had the opportunity to spend half a day exploring Kunming City while waiting for my night flight.
One of the must-visit spots in Kunming City was Nanping Business Street — an 865-metre-long pedestrian street that seamlessly blends historical charm with modern shopping and tourism experiences.
Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, this vibrant street has been a centre for commerce and cultural activity for centuries.
Lined with traditional Chinese architecture shops and modern multi-storey shopping malls, Nanping Business Street offers an array of shops catering to all tastes — from traditional crafts and souvenirs to high-end fashion, electronic and digital gadgets.
There are flowers and art works, including sculptures and arches, along the street as decorations, creating a unique blend of old and new, forming an appealing atmosphere for locals and tourists alike.
In addition to its rich shopping scene, Nanping Business Street and its neighbouring streets also boast numerous restaurants serving local Yunnan cuisine as well as dishes from different parts of China. It is truly a melting pot of culinary experiences!
We stumbled upon one store selling cakes made with durian imported from Malaysia, including the popular Musang King variety under its Chinese name “Mao Shan Wang”, translating amusingly into “Cat Hill King” in English.
Yunnan Guoqiao Rice Noodles
Kunming City’s most iconic dish is none other than the renowned Yunnan Guoqiao Mixian — literally translates as Yunnan Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles — an experience unique to Yunnan that deserves every food lover’s attention.
The legend behind the dish
The origins of Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles are steeped in folklore about a scholar who retreated to an isolated island for his studies while his dedicated wife ensured he received warm meals by crossing over a long bridge without letting them get cold during her journey.
The wife discovered that by using oil on top of the broth surface, it retained heat, allowing her husband to enjoy piping hot noodles fresh upon arrival — eventually earning him success in his exams.
He then named the dish “Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles”, a tribute to his wife’s dedication and ingenuity.
This legendary dish has become so beloved that there are restaurants dedicated exclusively to Guoqiao Mixian variations across Yunnan.
It is equally popular among traditional food stalls, noodle shops or high-class restaurants.
The unique taste experience
Our most memorable experience in Kunming was savouring Guoqiao Rice Noodle at New World Nationalities Guoqiaoyan Restaurant located on Guangxing Road during lunchtime.
Seated at our table, we were presented with raw ingredients like thin meat slices, vegetables, assorted tofu skin, and raw eggs placed in a serving tray, followed by a small pot of chicken soup, then finally a steaming hot broth bowl.
This iconic broth boasts rich aromatic flavours infused with spices, offering savoury comforting tastes and leaving lasting impressions on palates.
A server came and demonstrated to us the noodle preparation process.
The meat slices have to be the first to be added to the hot soup so that they can be cooked properly, then we add the other ingredients one by one. The last to go in were the pre-cooked noodles, which were round and whitish in colour, smooth and delicate in texture, perfectly complementing the hearty broth.
Once all the ingredients were added, we gently stirred the content to allow the flavours to blend together, forming a delicious dish that was both visually appealing and delightful to the senses, leaving a lasting impression on the palate.
The dish is accompanied by a selection of dipping sauces and condiments, allowing diners to customise their meal to their taste.
The memory of the experience in enjoying this special rice noodle has stayed in my mind long after consuming the last spoonful.
