Cong Bao Hui is a local snack known to all households of Hangzhou. It’s a kind of pancake wrapped with Youtiao (a long, golden-brown, deep fried strip of dough), and shallots and served with sweet sauce or spicy sauce.

According to popular folklores, its history can be traced back to the Sothern Song Dynasty (1127–1279), when Hangzhou was the capital. General Yue Fei, a patriot and national hero in China, was framed by treacherous chancellor Qin Hui and was put into death. Yue Fei, who led the defense of Southern Song against invaders, was admired by all. People hated Qin Hui and his wife (who have plotted to murder Yue Fei with Qin Hui), so much that they made two human-shaped dough which were said to be the couple, and deep fried them together in boiling oil, that’s how Youtiao was born. Later people made some improvements by wrapping Youtiao and shallots together with pancakes, and then Cong Bao Hui came into shape. Partly because of Cong Bao Hui’s delicious taste and partly for the reason of expressing their hatred for Qin Hui and his wife, people swarmed into shops to ‘bite’ Cong Bao Hui.

Where to eat: Lou Wai Lou, Zhi Wei Guan, Kui Yuan Guan and so on