Friends, I’ve recently discovered a great method for finding travel destinations: look for “hybrid” cities at the intersections of different provinces and regions. Due to their unique geographical locations, such cities are usually fantastic for food. Take Wuzhou (at the border of Guangdong and Guangxi), for example, where you can taste flavors from both provinces.
Recently, I visited Enshi, which is situated at the junction of Hubei, Hunan, and Chongqing. Enshi offers a variety of “carbohydrate bombs” for breakfast and combines the spiciness of Hunan and Chongqing, while also boasting its own unique Tujia cuisine.
Even common ingredients like corn, potatoes, and tofu are transformed into magical delights by the people of Enshi. The aroma is so enticing that I found myself eating extra bowls of rice every day.
Not only is the food delicious, but Enshi is also filled with breathtaking scenery. While other cities might have one or two iconic attractions, Enshi offers endless mountains, seas of clouds, and terraced fields, making it feel like walking through a living wallpaper.
The best time to visit Enshi is actually summer. While others are confined to air-conditioned rooms, Enshi residents enjoy summer in a “natural air-conditioned room” with an average temperature of 22.1 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal summer retreat. Enough said, let’s head to Enshi to satisfy both our stomachs and our eyes!
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Why is Enshi so delicious?
๐ฅ Potatoes | Roasted Potatoes / Fried Potatoes / Potato Rice
For the people of Enshi, potatoes are deeply embedded in their daily lives. After all, the potatoes here come with their own advantages. Not only are they of an old variety (Malko, grown since before liberation), but they are also grown in high-altitude areas with significant temperature differences between day and night, which helps accumulate starch.
Coupled with the ingenuity of the Enshi people, the ways to enjoy potatoes have multiplied. Let’s start with roasted potatoes. Roasting is a method between frying and deep-frying. First, oil is added to a flat pan, then the potatoes are roasted over low heat, occasionally turned, until the skin turns golden and slightly crispy. Finally, seasonings like ginger, garlic, and cumin powder are added. The result is a soft and flavorful roasted potato that smells divine.
I also love fried potatoes, which are more straightforward in preparation. Just peel and deep-fry the potatoes. The seasoning added to these potatoes is perfectly to my taste, with a crispy exterior that is both tangy and spicy, while the inside remains soft and potato-y. The contrasting textures and flavors are unforgettable.
In Enshi, potato rice is a common dish. This hardcore combination of carbs with carbs is surprisingly delicious. The most authentic way to prepare it is to roast the potatoes in a wood-fired stove until half-cooked, then add rice and water to steam together. The potatoes become easily mashed, and when their aroma blends with the rice, it creates a sweet, rustic flavor. Two such ordinary ingredients together create a new and delightful taste. Enshi people truly know how to eat.
๐ฅฃ Tofu | Bean Skin / Soybean Mash / Divine Tofu
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As a fanatic for bean products, I thought tofu had been fully explored, but the people of Enshi still have their own clever ideas.
Bean skin in Wuhan is a must-eat during breakfast. In Enshi, there is also bean skin, but the preparation is entirely different.
Both start with grinding soybeans and rice into a slurry, but Enshi’s bean skin is not shaped like Wuhan’s square, filled version. Instead, the slurry is dripped through a funnel onto a flat pan, forming thin, noodle-like strips. This bean skin can be stir-fried or made into a soup. Paired with broth and various toppings, it’s incredibly aromatic.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Guangtou Fried Noodles, Stone Mill Handmade Bean Skin
I find bean skin perfect for breakfast, but for lunch, “lazy tofu” is a must.
“Lazy Tofu,” also known as “Heza,” I guess the name probably comes from its simple and versatile preparation. Heza doesn’t require filtering or pressing; it usually doesn’t need coagulation either. Just grind soybeans into a paste, mix it with cabbage puree, add various ingredients, and stir while cooking to create a delicious side dish.
The most famous place for making Heza in Enshi is Zhangguan Heza. They cook the Heza until it’s slightly dry after coagulation, then add fresh broth with pork, young chicken, eggs, and other ingredients to make a Heza hot pot. Mixing the well-cooked Heza into rice and eating it together, the rice aroma, bean aroma, and sauce aroma will clash in your mouth. Even if you have no appetite, you can finish a bowl of rice with this pot.
Moreover, when you order a Heza at Zhangguan Heza, you also get various side dishes. For just a few tens of yuan, you get a full table, which I think is enough for two people. I was envious of Enshi people as I ate.
Everyone has eaten tofu made from soybeans, but what about “God Tofu” made from leaves? In summer, Enshi people make God Tofu using the leaves of a plant called “banjiuza.” The preparation of God Tofu is simple: just cut it into squares with a knife, then pour a bowl of dipping sauce mixed with garlic, chili, and other seasonings over it.
This God Tofu has a faint aroma of plants, a slippery texture, and when paired with the spicy dipping sauce, it makes you want to slurp it up in the sweltering summer.
๐ฝ Corn | Corn Cake / Zha Guang Jiao
In Enshi, corn is referred to as “baogu,” and corn cake is made by soaking corn until it swells, then grinding it into a paste, adding sugar for fermentation and ash flour, and finally wrapping it in bamboo leaves and steaming it.
When you take a bite of the corn cake, a natural and gentle corn aroma spreads in your mouth. As you savor it, you can also taste the fragrance of the outer bamboo leaves. Its texture is between sponge cake and steamed bun, not as dense as a steamed bun, nor as wet and soft as a sponge cake, just right at the point I like.
Corn cake vendors are usually mobile stalls, so getting to eat it is a bit of a matter of chance. These stalls usually keep the corn cakes warm by placing them in baskets and covering them with cloths. So, it’s best to eat the corn cakes while they’re still hot; the taste is less satisfying when they’re cold.
Besides corn cakes, Enshi people also creatively grind corn into powder, mix it with chopped chili, add salt, and ferment it in jars. This is Zha Guang Jiao.
At first, Zha Guang Jiao might sound a bit dark, but its uses are numerous, making it a cheat code for kitchen novices like me. It can be added to various dishes for stir-frying, with its sour and spicy flavor naturally versatile and never wrong. The most classic combination in Enshi is Tujia bacon with Zha Guang Jiao. It can also be used as a base for steamed meat or braised meat, making the steamed meat not greasy and particularly refreshing.
Pizza
Tujia sauce-flavored pancakes are highly recognizable across the country, but here’s a fun fact: there is no sauce-flavored pancake in the Tujia ethnic group. After all, the pancakes in Enshi have already become highly competitive, with varieties that can be subdivided into: original flavor pancakes, pepper salt pancakes, meat pancakes, Tujia pancakes, new style Tujia pancakes, Jianshi large pancakes…
The sauce-flavored pancakes that have become popular nationwide are just a simplified version; the sauce tastes similar, but the texture is a world apart. Once you’ve eaten the pancakes in Enshi, you’ll wonder how there can be a place that makes pancakes so delicious! This time, I mainly want to talk about the differences between the most common Tujia pancakes and Jianshi large pancakes in Enshi.
First, Tujia pancakes are like pizzas, spreading sauce and fillings on the surface, while Jianshi large pancakes wrap the fillings inside the dough.
Jianshi Large Pancake
Second, Tujia pancakes are layered and flaky, similar to hand-torn pancakes, with a crispy texture that makes a “crunch” sound when you bite into them. In contrast, Jianshi large pancakes are more like Jinyun pancakes, with a thin and crispy crust and plenty of fillings inside, making a crisp “crack!” sound when you bite into them.
Tujia Pancake
Between these two pancakes, I really can’t say which one is better, because I remember each one was so fragrant that I couldn’t believe my eyes, and that sense of surprise was truly wonderful.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Tian Pancake, Yuan’s Old Pancake, Lao Jian’an Pancake
Oil Flavor
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Oil flavor, I think you can understand it as Enshi’s version of youtundunzi, but its filling is much richer than the usual youtundunzi with just shredded white radish (no wonder it’s from Enshi). Mix potatoes, fragrant onions, diced meat, eggs, and other ingredients with pepper, garlic, and chili, scoop them into a large spoon, drizzle with flour, and deep-fry in oil until thoroughly cooked, and a fragrant oil flavor is ready.
The freshly made oil flavor is shiny and much more substantial than I imagined. Taking a bite, the crispy fried surface delivers the most direct pleasure, followed by the lively filling that falls into your mouth, especially the meat cubes that exude sauce, which blends with the flour, creating an incredibly savory and delicious taste that makes me forget about my manners and eat with oil all over my face.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Yuan’s Oil Flavor, Glasses Oil Flavor, Liao’s Breakfast
Tujia Sticky Rice Cake
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In Enshi, sticky rice cakes were an indispensable gift for the Tujia people during the New Year. There’s a saying, “Bai Nian Bai Nian, Baba Shang Qian,” where “Baba” refers to sticky rice cakes.
There are many ways to make sticky rice cakes, but I still think the ones grilled over a fire are the most fragrant. Once the skin of the cake slightly puffs up, it’s almost done. Then fold the cake in half, sprinkle with soybean flour and brown sugar, and it’s ready to eat. The freshly made sticky rice cake is very chewy, like cheese that can be stretched, with a soft, sweet, and fragrant taste that fills your mouth with the rich aroma of glutinous rice.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Tujia Handmade Sticky Rice Cake, Zhao’s Smoked Delicacies
Tujia Smoked Pork
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You must try Tujia smoked pork when you come to Enshi. The pork is first marinated until it fully absorbs the flavors, then hung on the beams of the smokehouse and smoked with the smoke of cypress branches from the deep mountains for several days.
After washing and slicing, the smoked pork has an enticing reddish color. Stir-fried with zha guang jiao, garlic sprouts, wild vegetables, etc., the rich fat seeps into the vegetables, and the moment it enters your mouth, the aroma of fat bursts forth!
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Zhao’s Smoked Delicacies, Authentic Zhang Guan He Za
She Rice
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In spring, there is one must-eat dish for the people of Enshi, and that is She Rice. Because the fifth day after the beginning of spring is a very important sacrificial festival for the Tujia people in EnshiโShe Day. To pray for blessings, the people of Enshi will make She Rice on this day.
The essential ingredient in She Rice is fresh wormwood picked from the fields, usually the tender buds. This spring-limited wild vegetable is first cut into vegetable dices, then mixed with smoked pork, wild garlic, and glutinous rice, placed in a steamer, and finally steamed slowly over low heat until the She Rice is ready. Having such a bowl of fluffy and fragrant She Rice marks the true beginning of the vibrant spring for the people of Enshi.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Huang’s She Rice, Zhang’s Courtyard
Lichuan Root Bar Cold Noodles
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The main ingredient of Lichuan root bar cold noodles is actually bracken root, and the process is somewhat complicated. The bracken root is ground into powder, added to spring water for soaking, stirred thoroughly, filtered, then rinsed multiple times with clean water, thickened with water, and the bracken root powder is formed into threads through a strainer, boiled in boiling water, and immediately scooped out and placed in cold water to obtain the raw material for root bar cold noodles.
Having the root bar cold noodles is not the end; the preparation of the sour water is also a crucial step. The authentic Lichuan method involves mixing salt, vinegar, pepper, garlic paste, chili, scallions, and other ingredients with cold water.
Slurping a mouthful, the cold noodles slide right into your mouth, and the complex sour and spicy flavors instantly stimulate your taste buds. Even on the hottest summer days, it’s impossible to refuse a bowl of Lichuan root bar cold noodles (usually sold by small vendors, so no specific shops are recommended).
G
G๏ผ actually, I mentioned it in my previous guide to Wanzhou. Strictly speaking, it should be considered a snack from Wanzhou, but since Enshi and Wanzhou are close, there are also many shops selling G on the streets of Enshi. This time, I’ll give a brief introduction.
G is similar to a mini version of steamed meat, mainly with three types: mutton, intestines, and spare ribs. Usually, a layer of potatoes is placed at the bottom of the steamer, so after steaming at high heat, the meat aroma permeates the bottom ingredients, making them very flavorful.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Hu Baomian, Shen G Wanzhou Noodles
Baomian
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I’ve also had Baomian in Wanzhou, but I think the Baomian in Enshi is a bit different.
Here, they use a slightly yellowish thin alkaline dough skin, which is thicker than the Baomian in Wanzhou. The seasoning is not as bold, and the soup base is clearer and brighter. The right amount of pepper enhances the overall flavor of the Baomian.
In the past, Baomian was just a late-night snack for Enshi people, eaten only at night. Now, it’s available at any time, and many small shops on the street sell Baomian.
๐ฅข Recommended Shops: Hu Baomian, Chen Lao Er Baomian Night Market
By the way, I also want to recommend Half Idle Coffee in Enshi City. Not long ago, I learned a term called “coffee pressure,” which can be understood as the feeling of being in some well-decorated, high-end coffee shops. This coffee shop has zero “coffee pressure,” and it’s really comfortable to stay there! You can meet many young people who are just hanging out, chatting casually, and you can even lie on the sofa like at home.
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The coffee in the shop is also very friendly. For someone like me with a beginner’s taste, who doesn’t want to drink too bitter coffee, you can order a swirling coffee or an ice cream coffee. Especially the swirling coffee is interesting; it makes coffee into an ice ball, then pours in milk. As the ice ball melts, the coffee flavor also has different layers.
Oh, and there’s a cat in the shop that just wants to sleep and be lazy, which you can pet. It’s plump and very cute.
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Why is Enshi so beautiful!
About how to play in Enshi, I think the first thing is to have a basic concept of Enshi’s attractions. Like Guilin, Enshi is also a typical karst landform, but the terrain difference in Enshi is much larger than in Guilin, making the scenery more magnificent and wild, with sinkholes, rifts, caves, peaks, and underground rivers one after another. Therefore, the mountains and waters of Enshi are the most worth seeing.
Actually, Leilei wrote a travel guide to Enshi before, and this time, I’ll be lazy and summarize hers first, then add a few more attractions.
Hefeng Pingshan Canyon
It’s one of the first popular attractions in Enshi. Here, towering cliffs and surrounding streams make it a “real” attraction where the photos match the actual scenery.
Qingjiang Ancient Riverbed
With very little commercialization, it’s full of streams, mountain brooks, and moss-covered boulders, with very wild scenery. It’s very suitable for hiking, with low difficulty (no outdoor experience needed, just perseverance can complete it), and the scenery is excellent.
Luyuanping
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Luyuanping cannot be considered a conventional tourist attraction; it is currently just a small village with about a dozen households. The village features a vertical drop of approximately 500 meters and often offers glimpses of valley waterfalls, exuding an untouched natural beauty.
Lion’s Gate Waterway
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Another highly popular attraction in Enshi. The waterway at Lion’s Gate actually “floats,” with a wooden surface supported by numerous buoys underneath. It appears fragile, yet small cars can safely pass over it.
Enshi Grand Canyon
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The Enshi Grand Canyon is the of Enshi, resembling an open-air museum of karst landforms, featuring sinkholes, rifts, cliffs, peaks, rock pillars, caves, and underground rivers.
Tusi City
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Although Tusi City is a reconstruction of ancient architecture, it is built according to the specifications of the local Tusi rulers in Enshi. It includes Tusi towers and city walls, making it the largest Tusi cultural architectural complex in the country.
Enshi Earth Heart Valley
This is a highly interactive attraction. The entrance to the scenic area is the longest and highest glass bridge in southwestern Hubei. At the valley’s bottom, visitors can experience activities such as diving, water swings, kayaking, and rafting. The journey is about 6 kilometers long, with the most exciting activities concentrated in the latter half. Thrill-seekers will definitely have a blast.
There is also a cliffside glass hotel complex, perched directly on a cliff with a vertical height of 356 meters, offering a three-sided view of the canyon, truly allowing guests to “sleep in the clouds.”
Suobuyai Stone Forest
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Suobuyai Stone Forest is known as the world’s largest Ordovician stone forest. The entire stone forest resembles a giant gourd, surrounded by lush screens. Walking through it feels like navigating a maze, leaving visitors in awe of nature’s wonders.
Currently, four scenic areas are open: Qinglong Temple, Lotus Village, Mozi Gully, and Nine Dragons Confluence. Among these, Lotus Village offers the most spectacular scenery, with various natural wonders shaped by the forces of nature.
Wujiata Tea Mountain
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This attraction is close to the previously mentioned Lion’s Gate Waterway. If you are driving, you can visit both in one trip. The Wujiata tea was awarded a plaque by Emperor Qianlong during the 49th year of his reign, inscribed with “Imperial Favor and Grace.” Visiting in spring to enjoy a cup of tribute tea and admire the tea mountain scenery is a delightful experience.
As for itinerary planning, to fully and classically explore Enshi, a minimum of four days is recommended to avoid feeling rushed:
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Day 1: Arrival โ Enshi Grand Canyon โ Luyuanping / Enshi Earth Heart Valley
Day 2: Luyuanping / Enshi Earth Heart Valley โ Daughter City
Day 3: Daughter City โ Wujiata โ Lion’s Gate โ Hefeng
**Day 4: Hefeng โ Pingshan Grand Canyon/Suobuya Stone Forest โ Return Journey**
If there is still time left, you can extend your trip to Chongqing or Wuhan, both of which have convenient high-speed rail connections to Enshi. You can then fly back directly from Enshi. I’ve also compiled travel guides for Chongqing and Wuhan, which are listed below.
**Chongqing Food, Drink, and Entertainment Guide**
Chongqing Food Guide ๐ The flavors of Chongqing are not just about spicy hot pot!
Chongqing Night Snack Guide ๐ Enjoying night snacks and๏ผ๏ผ
Chongqing Hot Pot Guide ๐ Chongqing’s hot pot restaurants are like the city’s version of a comforting general store.
Chongqing One Day Guide ๐ After eating in Chongqing for a week, let me tell you how a day in the life of a Chongqing resident goes.
Chongqing Hill Climbing and Strolling Guide ๐ Shocking! Some people actually say Chongqing is not suitable for tourism???
Chongqing Coffee Guide ๐ Sip on this cup of mountain city coffee, and you’ll have the energy to climb hills and slopes!
Chongqing Wanzhou Guide ๐ If you haven’t been here, don’t claim you know how to eat!
Chongqing Hotel Guide ๐ Wondering where to stay in Chongqing? Read this and you’ll know!
**Wuhan Food, Drink, and Entertainment Guide**
Wuhan Food Guide ๐ When in Wuhan, eating is the main event!
Wuhan Breakfast Guide ๐ Carb bombs for just ten yuan, Wuhan’s breakfast is truly dangerous.
Wuhan Attractions Guide ๐ Did you fulfill last year’s promise? Wuhan is waiting for you.
Wuhan Coffee Guide ๐ Besides cherry blossom viewing and breakfast, a cup of coffee in Wuhan is also worth experiencing.
Wuhan Comprehensive Guide ๐ On the 18th day of Wuhan’s lockdown, we have not forgotten her beauty.
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Remember when passing through Enshi City, you often come across the Enshi Wind and Rain Bridge. Each time I passed by, I saw many people sitting on the bridge chatting, while some uncles were swimming below. No one seemed in a hurry. So, I also sat on the bridge, gazing at the Qingjiang River, enjoying the sun on my skin, so comfortable that I almost wanted to close my eyes. I think even if you set aside Enshi’s delicious food and magnificent scenery, the fact that it allows people to slow down and find peace is reason enough to visit.
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/Transportation Guide/
Enshi has its own airport, and direct flights to Enshi are available from most major cities. High-speed trains from Chongqing and Wuhan to Enshi are also very convenient.
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/Accommodation Guide/
In Enshi City, the Wuling International Hotel is a good choice; it’s new and well-located. Inside the Enshi Grand Canyon, most accommodations are guesthouses, and the Qing Shan Bi Shui Resort Hotel, though I haven’t stayed there, has good reviews. In Luyuanping, the Liu Nian Guesthouse or Xuan Lu Inn are considered decent options.
