Xinjiang Cuisine

The Beauty of Xinjiang, Flavors of the Snowy Region Upon arriving in Altay city center (which might be smaller than some of our county towns), we had our first proper meal at a restaurant called "Snow Capital Flavors," reportedly a chain store. The decor is considered quite luxurious by local standards, with an average cost of around 100 RMB per person. We ordered all the local specialties: fried white-spotted pike (also known as Qiortai fish), hand-torn lamb, big plate chicken, lamb pilaf, lamb skewers, scrambled eggs with sand leeks, and stir-fried wild black mushrooms—all authentic local dishes with great flavors. The Xinjiang lamb is exceptional, free of any gaminess. The fatty-looking lamb in the pilaf turns out to be fragrant and tender when eaten.