What it is: Jiaozi is a kind of Chinese dumpling, very popular here in Qiqihar. It typically consists of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. Jiaozi have a shape similar to ravioli. Here they are eaten with a soy and /or vinegar sauce for dipping. (compare: Wikipedia on Jiaozi)
 

My opinion: I really like them! From a certain point of view you can call them fast food, because in most cases you get them 30 seconds after ordering. They are kept warm with steam in front of the restaurants using stakes of traditional looking, round wooden bins. Probably because steam is used to prepare them, they don't seem unhealthy to me;

What it is: A baozi is a type of steamed round bun, filled with meat and/or vegetarian fillings. It can be eaten at any meal in Chinese culture, and is often eaten for breakfast. (compare: Wikipedia on Baozi)

My opinion: Yes, they are good friends of mine. Similar the the Jiaozi, their taste and consistency are lovely, but since all the taste comes from the filling, they can't really catapult you to heaven. The problem is that the dough tastes a little boring. Most of the times you won't notice that, since the filling is good, but sometimes you do. Or maybe the tasteless dough brings down the overall experience a tiny little bit, so the result is nice, but not perfect. Well, but they have other advantages.

What it is: a noodle soup with hot peanut cream(?), greens, maybe an egg, and some other ingredients that I really don't know.

My opinion: excellent. Its hotness is hard at the edge and the thickness and consistence of the noodles is good. The peanut cream gives it the right drive to go down smooth while making you feel to enjoy a full-value dish.

Where to eat:

• At the 火锅 Huǒguō (Hot Pot) restaurant near the lake

What it is:  Rice with different kind of meat and vegetables on top ;)

My opinion: This is great! Seems to healthier than most of the other (very fatty) dishes + it tastes great! My favorite is the one with eggplant right now.

Where to eat:

• Gai Fan restaurant near the lake

What it is:  A hot plate right on the table and ingredients of your choice (meat, turnips, potatoes, bread, salad, mushrooms, ...) You place the food on the hot plate and let it stay there according to your preference. When you take it off, you can tip it in different spices and/or wrap it in salad to give it the right feeling..

_and_ there is a lot of oil involved, since it prevents the ingredients from getting burned.

My opinion: I like it _sometimes_. It has some downsides. It is very oily and usually it has a lot of meat. Nevertheless, sometimes i like it.