Chinese is a fantastic language for playing with double meanings. The difference between the written character and its corresponding oral syllable allows for a world of meanings to be opened up, with which speakers of this language can refer to other concepts without speaking of them directly. This is precisely what explains why, during these dates, rice cakes, meat rolls, and crispy sea bass are eaten. Welcome to a world where everything has a parallel and centuries-old meaning.
Let's start with sea bass, one of the gastronomic classics at the level of galets soup. The Chinese word for fish (yu) is pronounced the same as the term extra, understood as a monetary surplus. Chinese people eat fish at the beginning of the year because, while doing so, they can pronounce the phrase nian nian you yu (year after year, I get fish, or abundance). This sea bass is usually served with sweet and sour sauce, a reminder, perhaps, that life is not always rosy.
Spring rolls, for their part, are only cooked during this time. Their name, chun juan, comes from the fact that New Year is known as Spring Festival or chun jie. Eating them brings good fortune because, visually, the rolls look like gold bars. The same thing happens with jiao zi (mistakenly called by the Japanese term gioza), which resemble yin yuan bao, that is, the gold ingots that were used as currency in traditional China.
The double meanings facilitated by Chinese explain why, during these dates, rice cakes, meat rolls, and crispy sea bass are eatenIt is clear that monetary and personal growth is very important at the Chinese table. For this reason, one of the star desserts is the nian gao or cake of the year. This rice paste brings health and good luck at work because it is pronounced like the phrase grow each year. At the end of the meal, it is also common for the elders of the family to give the younger ones a hongbao or on red, which highlights that not only money, but also colors, are crucial.
It is no coincidence, in this sense, that red reigns in Barcelona's Chinese restaurants these days. This color protects them from the beast Nian (Year), which only fears fire, noise, and that bloody hue. That's why there are firecrackers in parades, the streets are lit with lanterns, and everyone dresses in red. Also, notice a character turned upside down at the entrance of establishments. It is happiness (fu) placed upside down (dao), in a metalinguistic play that could be translated as may happiness arrive.
"All this is very good," you might think. "But where can I try good Chinese gastronomy in the city?" Well, I could recommend Chinese restaurants visited by Chinese diners, such as Liuyishou, Uniko, He Cheng, or Da Zhong, or point out classic snack spots like Chinese Tofu Magician or Q Tea. But since this is about turning meanings around and making new reinterpretations, I propose we do the exercise in reverse: What do Chinese people look for when they come to Barcelona?
One of the best ways to explore this is through one of the most popular apps currently, Xiaohongshu (color surprise: this app translates to The Little Red Book). The gastronomic world that reigns here is dominated by tapas, ice creams, and, especially, cheesecakes. In the first case, establishments like La Flauta, El Glop, or Cremat 11 are often present, but the one that takes all the honors is Cervecería Catalana, which has managed to charm visitors with Mediterranean tapas.
The Chinese traveler is increasingly aware of Barcelona's gastronomy and, moreover, shares it among millions of usersIt is interesting to note that these are establishments that are not normally on the lists of our media or guides (let's remember that in China they don't access Google nor do they believe much in Michelin, whom they accuse of imposing a Western flavor on the rest of the world). However, sweet shops with more likes: DelaCrem and Jon Cake. Curiously, or perhaps not so much, these are two of the Barcelona establishments that generate the longest queues.
Bubó and Granja M. Viader also appear on platforms like Mafengwo, where Via Veneto, Botafumeiro, Moments and, more recently, Aleia, have good reviews. And it is that the Chinese traveler is increasingly aware of Barcelona's gastronomy and shares it among millions of users. The same ones who this February will welcome the Wood Dragon with big family meals, calligraphies to attract good luck and a lot, a lot of red.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.