When the mechants traveled to and fro between their countries and China, and pursue their wealth from the business transactions on the ancient trade routes, they never forgot to make it a chance to taste various delicious foods as their life enjoyment at every stops on the way. Follow the trail of Silk Road China, tourists can enjoy the best menu dishes of Shaanxi cuisine, Gansu cuisine and Xinjiang cuisine.   

Shaanxi Cuisine & Xian Food:
Shaanxi Cuisine, also known as Qin Cuisine, is the representative culinary achievement in the northwest China. The famous food in Xian as below:

Yang Rou Pao Mo
One of the signature dishes of the area; it consists of a piece of thick, chewy bread and a kettle of mutton soup.

Biang Biang Mian
A local provincial specialty noodle dish that is extremely good. The wide noodles are spiced, have a broth, and include toppings such as eggs, tomatoes, beef, etc.

Rou Jia Mo
The closest thing to a beefburger. This is a local tradition and should be very easy to locate. Sandwich-like, with pork, beef or lamb, this is a must-try item for anyone who is in this area.

Dumplings (Jiaozi) Feast
Xian is one of the birthplace of the great dumpling tradition. It was here that the art of creating the most tasty and delicate of dumplings was refined at a dinner. This is an experience for the dumpling connoisseur, the flavours, shapes and colours will tempt the palette, while the elegant names and stories attached to each variety are truly amazing.

Gansu Cuisine & Food in Lanzhou, Dunhuang:
Lanzhou dishes are representative of Gansu cuisine which features the roasting, steaming, and braising of beef and mutton; and Dunhuang is located in Western China and bordering Xinjiang Province, Dunhuangs cuisine is influenced much by the nomads, Grilled Mutton being the most popular dish in both restaurants and hotels in this vibrant city.

Lanzhou Beef Noodles (Lamian)
The most famous local dish - stretched noodles are usually served in a beef or mutton-flavored soup called beef soup. The noodles are always hand made and inserts his fingers into the loop to keep the strand from sticking to itself; and the broth served hot and spicy with as much beef as you care to pay for.

Finger Mutton or Lamb
In Gansu, the motton is the top dish that hospitable Dongxiang ethnic minority uses to entertain important guests. It is also a must on the menu of feast during the festivals.
 
Camel Hoof
A dish, also known as Camel Hoof on Jokul, gained its name for the shape that is like camel prints on the Jokul. Camel Hoof is actually tendon, and is highly nutritious.

Stir-fried Hump with Five Shredding
A traditional Dunhuang dish, was a favorite of high-ranking imperial concubine Yang Yuhuan of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The primary ingredient is Camel hump, accompanied with five shredding consists of Yulan (dryed bamboo shoot), Dongru (a type of mushroom), leek shoots, ham and chicken breast. It is featured in fat and the soft meat.

Quick-frying Hump
Cut the Camel hump into regular pieces or shredding and quick-fry them. Flavor with seasonings, and voila the finished fresh, soft and tasteful Quick-frying Hump.

Xinjiang Cuisine & Food in Urumqi, Turpan and Kashgar
Xinjiang is famous for many delicious foods such as fresh naan, spicy kababs, steaming pilaf, famous hand stretched noodles and much a variety of choices.  

Urumqi Dapan Ji
A famous Hui dish (literally "Big Plate of Chicken"). The only choice you have to make is if you want a Zhongpan ji or dapan ji (Zhong being smaller, suitable for 2-3 people). A larger plate will cost 60 yuan, and is served with a side of noodles.

Xinjiang Crusty Pancake
It is a type of round unleavened bread, topped with sesame. It is similar to South and Central Asia naan.

Xinjiang Barbecued Mutton (Kao Yangrou)
It tends to be less spicy with a wide variety of fiatbreads (bing) that can be sweet, salty or plain.

Latiaozi Fresh Noodles
It is served with sauted lamb, tomatoes, aubergine and hot green peppers.

Lamb Skewer (Kebabs)
Xinjiang lamb skewers are marinated with cumin and liberally sprinkled with chilli, garlic and Szechuan peppercorns. The  incredibly fragrant and very, very good bar snack.

Xinjiang Grilled Fish (Roast Fish Kebabs or Belik kawap)
An traditional Uygur way to grill fishes which are pierced with long sticks and put in a circle around a fire, always attract tourists interest. Grilled fish is the classical flavor of Kashgar snacks, especially the most famous in Bachu County; The roast fishes are good materials to make a tender and not fishy, ​​crispy and delicious, distinctive dish.  
 

Local Fruits
Both Xinjiang and Gansu produce a variety of fruits and melons in summer and autumn seasons. Especially the melons is as much as 50 species and Hami melon is the typical one:     
Apricots (xingzi), plums (meizi) and mulberries (sangshu) in June;
Melons (gua) in July; peaches (taozi), figs (wuhuaguo) and grapes (putao) in August;
Pome granates (shiliu), apples (pingguo) and pears (lizi) in September;

Small restaurants lined at both two sides of walking streets and prearranged vendors stalls on the pedestrian street set up all sort of night markets in the cities offer the best places to taste authentic local dishes and various regional flavor snacks by cauldrons, woks and grills. There the best way to order is to point to what others are having or by going into the kitchen and picking out various meat and vegetable combinations. With few exceptions, hotel restaurants offer expensive and unexciting meals, a last resort when deciding where to eat. The Practical Information section for each city contains useful information on night markets, small restaurants and local specialities.