Golden Hans BBQ

Since we came to Qingdao I have wanted to try this one restaurant. It is a South American bar-b-Que with draught beer. How could I go wrong? I have driven passed in a taxi, I have driven passed it on a bus, I have flown over it and even have walked passed it on an occasion. Every time I tried to get there to eat, I never made it.

I took a bus there once. The bus stop was opposite on the opposite side of an 8 lane road with a divided 4 lane highway in the middle. I could not cross the street. I asked a few passersby how I could get to the other side of the street and they indicated by gesturing, that I should just walk. This was early on in my Qingdao experience and thus I could not thank them properly for their advice. You see the streets here in China are equivalent to the game croaker. At least, that is how my three kids see it. We see how far we can get before we have to side step a car or jump out of the way of a motorcycle or duck under a bus. Much to my chagrin Jackson and Denali try to see just how close they can get to a car that is speeding by. McKinley on the hand, clings to my side and tries to convince us to wait for the light to turn red. I have explained to her that his would work if 1.there was a light to turn red and 2. drivers actually paid attention to them.

I tried to get there by taxi, but never made it. Apparently I told the driver I wanted to go buy some gold and ended up in a jewelery store. Did I mention that there is "gold" in the name of the restaurant and so I really wasn't that far off.

I tried to get Chris's co-workers to take me there and they never did. Apparently I speak a foreign language and could not convince them where it was that I wanted to go eat. People in China, Zhong Gua Ren, answer their phones by saying wei (pronounced way). I think it is short for Dui (pronounced dway) which means yes. In any case, all I have to do is answer a phone with "wei" and I can confuse them. By them I am referring to Alex whose picture is in the previous post. I think it is such an unexpected way for a Mei Gua Ren (American) to answer the phone that it catches him off guard. So, if you have have a Zhong Gua Ren call you try answering with "wei".

We have just about 2 weeks left in China and thus I had to get to this restaurant. Armed with my maps, the name of the restaurant in English, Chinese and pinyin I marched the family off for dinner. I had the phone number, and as a back up I brought a picture of the restaurant I had cut out of a magazine. The advertisement said that a highlight of this restaurant is that one can find "cowboys in lederhosen". Have I mentioned that there is a big German influence in Qingdao? Seriously, cowboys in lederhosen I just had to get there.

Well I should have known that I was in for a treat when the cab driver, upon realizing where I wanted to go, became very animated. He told me that the food there was great. The beer was even better. He has eaten there many times. My Chinese is much better.....he understands me and tells me that I should have a great time.

After 2 months in Qingdao, we have come to disagree with the American sentiment that if a lot of Chinese folk eat in a restaurant it must be good Chinese food. We, in fact, look for the places that are mostly empty except for say a few foreigners - us!!!! We arrive at the restaurant and it is full of Zhong Gua Ren - not a Mei Gua Ren in sight. Turns out that it is quite a nice place. The cowboys walk around and serve you each of 20 different BBQ foods. then there is a large hot and cold buffet to choose side dishes from. I knew things were not going according to plan when the waiter came to ask our beer choice. Chris's remark was, "don't get me any of that sh@#." What - what, where is his sense of adventure - i order two mugs of whatever is "Yellow"

The first food brought to our plate is shrimp. I am still conversing with the waiter trying to get 3 glasses of apple juice when Chris says, "Whatever you do, don't eat the shrimp." WTF. The next selection that is brought to our table is a skewer of chicken hearts. Saying, "I'll pass", did not prevent the cowboys in lederhosen from serving it anyway. Jackson is green. Denali wants to dissect it and look for four chambers. McKinley asks, "Mom is it OK if I don't eat anything?"

By this point my head spins, my eyes are bulging and then vein in the middle of my forehead is pulsating!!! Do you get the picture. We all head up to the buffet. McKinley and Jack return from 4 huge table of food with watermelon and cucumbers, Denali has a plate of rice and corn and Chris come back with nothing!!!!!!! Luckily when we return to the table, our plates are filled with 18 more BBQ items. Every will try one or I will kill them!!! The desert selection was rather good and in the end the wait staff all paid 10RMB each to Jackson to pose for a picture with them.

Throughout the whole dinner we had a large audience. it wasn't till the bill arrived that I understood why....here are some of the things that were BBQ'd:

• Pickled Ox Tongue
• Black Pepper Bowel
• Roasted Squid
• Shu Joss-stick of falty cow - "Male member" - I actually enjoyed this one. Yes, Chris tried it too. I hear the jokes now......
• Pickled Chicken Heart
• Fragrant Pig Foot

So, if you ever find yourself in Qingdao, China looking for a place to eat, may I recommend Golden Hans, South American BBQ and Beer Garden.