Guilin Rice Noodles (Mifen)

Round strands pressed from premium rice batter—smooth and springy—served in braised beef-bone broth with toppings such as braised beef, pigs' trotters and pickled long beans; an everyday staple for locals and a must-eat for every visitor.

Legend holds that Guilin rice noodles date to the Qin dynasty, when Qin Shi Huang's armies building the Lingqu Canal created a rice-based noodle to feed soldiers unaccustomed to the southern diet—establishing a culinary tradition over two thousand years old.

Two styles exist: 'dry-mixed' (gan lao), where noodles are tossed with toppings without broth, and 'soup noodles' swimming in hot stock; both are finished with garlic, scallion and chili and best eaten piping hot.

Noodle shops are found on every street in Guilin, making a bowl of mifen the most direct way to experience the city's everyday food culture.