The US treasury secretary’s diplomatic visit to China came with a side of fine dining
Janet Yellen, the US treasury secretary, spent four days in China in an effort to thaw diplomatic relations between the two major economies, but another topic altogether has captured the attention of Chinese netizens: her dining experience in Beijing.
For her first meal in the capital, Yellen ate at Yi Zuo Yi Wang (一坐一忘), a Yunnan restaurant located in the swanky shopping and dining district of Sanlitun. The dishes her party ordered have since gone viral on Chinese social media—and the restaurant is leaning heavily into the buzz.
Yi Zuo Yi Wang’s so-called “God of Money” menu, as it is now branded, features all the dishes that Yellen tucked into last week. One particular dish, stir-fried Jian Shou Qing (见手青) mushrooms, was ordered four times (link in Chinese), according to the restaurant.
Here’s a look at Yellen’s epicurean experience, with a price breakdown.
Roasted lemongrass perch — 148 yuan ($20.46)
Fresh Qiubei bolete mushrooms stir fried with chilies — 248 yuan ($34.28)
Fragrant and spicy bolete mushrooms (Jian Shou Qing) — 138 yuan ($19.08)
Peppermint beef rolls — 68 yuan ($9.40)
Midu cold pickled vegetable rice noodles — 38 yuan ($5.25)
Tengchong Great Rescue (stir-fried rice cakes) — 42 yuan ($5.81)
Jingpo roasted pheasant — 58 yuan ($8.02)
Sauteed sponge gourd shoots — 58 yuan ($8.02)
Stir-fried Tai’an potato slices with pickled vegetables — 38 yuan ($5.25)
Dali carved plums with small spareribs — 88 yuan ($12.16)
Roasted cheese tiles — 58 yuan ($8.02)
Jing-A craft beer — 35 yuan and up ($4.84+)
Total: 1,017 yuan ($140.58)
The dinner’s harmonious flavors did not, sadly, translate into any diplomatic breakthroughs on the visit. Yellen met vice premier He Lifeng on Saturday (July 8), and in 10 hours of talks, they covered a range of issues including China’s anti-espionage law and US controls on chip exports.
Yellen communicated that the US is not interested in “decoupling” from China, as Beijing fears. The message was acknowledged, and communication established, but US-China tensions are still far from cordial.
“The relevant meetings and talks were frank and open, pragmatic, in-depth, and constructive,” China’s Ministry of Finance said in a statement (link in Chinese) published today (July 10).
Both parties agreed to continue high-level talks on economic issues, according to the ministry’s statement.
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