Shenzhen specials

Coconut Chicken Hotpot 椰子鸡火锅; yēzǐjī huǒguō

Although this dish originates in China's tropical Hainan Province, it was a Shenzhen restaurant chain, Seasons Coconut Chicken, that helped make it famous around the world. An incredibly tasty dish with a Southeast Asian aroma, it comprises free-range Hainanese chicken gently poached in a bubbling hotpot soup base made from fresh coconut water. A zingy dipping sauce completes the experience, although the chicken and soup are so fragrant that it's hardly needed.

Chaoshan Beef Hotpot 潮汕牛肉火锅; Cháoshàn niúròu huǒguō

The Chaoshan region in the east of Guangdong Province is famous for its food, and one dish in particular: beef hotpot. Ubiquitous and wildly popular in Shenzhen, most neighborhoods have at least a couple of restaurants devoted to the dish. It helps to know your cow anatomy when ordering the thinly sliced beef to add to your hotpot soup - the best cuts take mere seconds to cook through. Start with the fattier cuts, then move to the leaner cuts and side dishes. A popular and reliable chain in Shenzhen and throughout China is Shantou Baheli Haiji Niurou Dian (汕头八合里海记牛肉店)