Turpan (Turfan)

[elfin]

Joke aside we will be taking the train from Shanghai to Turpan to stay for a day or two. Any places on the foodie radar not to be missed. Local cuisine to try? Any rec would be most appreciated. Thankyou.

[XiaoLing]

I've never been to Turpan or have had their cuisine. I have had similar cuisine from what I have found on the web though.

Here's a website that might be helpful:

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides...pan/dinning.htm

Please come back and enlighten us all!

[Bunnyhugs]

Honestly speaking the Turpan dining scene is a little depressing - as of a year ago when I was there anyway.

The majority of restaurants are run by Sichuanese immigrants. Assuming you are interested in Uigur food (i.e. the food of the local Turkic speaking people) there are not a ton of options, and the quality is well below that in Wulumuqi, Kashgar or Yili.

The town is not very big. There is a strip of restaurants on a street running north-south on the east side of town. I think it is a block to the east of the central square.

The central square has a sort of vine covered trellis thing runing southwards from its south-east corner. Starting from the square, follow the trellis south, turn left when you hit the main road, continue east to the next intersection, then turn left again. You should now be heading north and after a short while will have restaurants on your left and right. There is a mixture of Sichuanese and Uigur places here. Some of the Sichuanese places also offer Uigur food - probably to cater to tour groups. The authentic Uigur places obviously don't serve Chinese food (problems with pork etc. . .).

Anyway, I had an acceptable Uigur meal in the largest and most 'luxuriously' appointed of the Uigur joints. It was on the left hand side of the street heading north, towards the northern end of the little restaurant strip.

But really you are better heading to Kashgar, Yili or Wulumuqi. The bread, meat, cheese, yogurt and Kvass in Yili are beautiful. In Kashgar things are a little grimier but the atmosphere can't be beaten. Wulumuqi has a couple of great Uigur/Khazak milk-tea shops just south of the old cinema (about a block north of the big bazaar).

Edited June 22, 2008 by Bunnyhugs (log)