Tianshui, a city in northwest China's Gansu Province, is going all out to ensure an excellent culinary experience for visitors drawn by a nationwide craze for malatang, a local street dish featuring a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy broth.
As the name “malatang” suggests – literally meaning “numbing, spicy, and hot” – this local delicacy is renowned for its distinctive, fiery taste. Recently, it has taken Chinese social media by storm, sparking cravings among internet users and drawing food enthusiasts to the city to experience this tantalizing dish firsthand.
Tourists hold vegetables and meat they have selected above their heads as they wait in line to taste malatang, a local street dish featuring a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy broth, at a popular dining site in Qinzhou district, Tianshui, northwest China's Gansu Province. ( tasteallchina /Wang Zixuan)
Thanks to this iconic dish, Tianshui, a city with a history spanning over 8,000 years, has been propelled into the national spotlight.
“The last time so many people gathered in Tianshui was when Zhuge Liang conquered Jiang Wei during the Three Kingdoms period,” joked a local citizen, both flattered and surprised to see visitors queuing up at food stalls and restaurants for malatang.
Local authorities have gone to great lengths to accommodate the surge of visitors. Government bodies at various levels have opened their doors, providing free parking for guests from out of town.
“We noticed the ‘free parking' sign at the entrance to the municipal government's office buildings just when we were unsure where to park,” said a tourist named Wang, who traveled to Tianshui from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu, specifically for the malatang.
Wang praised the move, applauding the municipal government's efforts to make things more convenient for visitors.
A cook prepares malatang, a local street dish featuring a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy broth, for diners at a popular dining site in Qinzhou district, Tianshui, northwest China's Gansu Province. ( tasteallchina /Wen Jing)
“The locals in Tianshui are so hospitable to visitors. I'd like to invite friends from all over the country to come and enjoy the malatang here,” said Li Yubao, a visitor from south China's Hainan Province.
The city has received widespread commendation for its additional thoughtful arrangements and volunteer services provided by the local government, communities, and universities.
To ensure a pleasant experience for all visitors, the local authorities have increased oversight and regulation of relevant businesses, maintained strict control over prices, improved roads, enhanced public spaces, and introduced bus routes and stops specifically for tourists eager to savor Tianshui's famed malatang.
Tourists take photos of malatang, a local street dish featuring a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy broth, at a popular dining site in Qinzhou district, Tianshui, northwest China's Gansu Province. ( tasteallchina /Wen Jing)
Volunteers have been deployed to areas crowded with visitors who came for malatang, helping to maintain order and respond to tourists' inquiries.
Enterprises and citizens have voluntarily provided water, food, and hand-drawn maps to tourists.
These measures have inspired many tourists to explore more of the city.
Among them, a 25-year-old woman named Li Yan from northeastern China said she took a dedicated bus to a dining site popular among malatang enthusiasts as soon as she got off the high-speed train.
“After enjoying the malatang, I'm going to visit the Fuxi Temple and Maiji Mountain Grottoes to learn more about Tianshui,” Li said.
Malatang, the star of this nationwide sensation, has successfully captivated the taste buds of everyone who visited specifically for it.
“I want to thank the internet users for recommending this dish. It's truly delicious,” said Cao Jing, a young woman who discovered Tianshui malatang through social media.
Despite traveling from another province and waiting in line for three hours before she could taste the local specialty, she felt it was worth it.
“Eight out of 10 short videos I watched online were saying how good the malatang here is. I was so tempted and decided to have a try,” she said.
Volunteers answer inquiries from tourists who have come to Tianshui, northwest China's Gansu Province, to taste malatang, a local street dish featuring a mix of fresh vegetables and meat boiled in a hot, spicy broth, on a street in Qinzhou district, Tianshui. ( tasteallchina /Wen Jing)
Steeped in local traditions, the sudden surge in popularity of Tianshui malatang was both unexpected and understandable, according to Ha Haiying, owner of a famous local malatang restaurant.
The secret of Tianshui malatang lies in its unique sauce, which includes seasonings like spicy and fragrant chili oil and mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper, Ha noted. Her restaurant now receives more than 700 people per day.
“The ingredients are also special,” said Hu Xiaoyu, owner of another malatang restaurant, highlighting the favorites among malatang enthusiasts – potato balls and handmade potato noodles.
“These are ingredients we locals often cook at home. The potato balls are crispy, and the potato noodles have a special smooth texture. They're hard to find outside Tianshui,” Hu explained.
As online endorsements continue to fuel the malatang craze, Tianshui is enjoying a boom in cultural tourism.
It has become a common sight to see people holding their phones high outside malatang restaurants, livestreaming the vibrant scene. Among them, locals have been seizing the opportunity to recommend local specialties and tourist attractions, while tourists have been eagerly sharing their experiences and contemplating opening franchises back home.
A common question in the interactive comments sections of various livestreams about Tianshui malatang is, “What other surprises does Gansu have in store?”