Suzhou cuisine excels in every branch of culinary art--stewing, braising, quick-frying, stir-frying, steaming, roasting and deep-frying. The dishes tend to be sweet. The soups are clear, but not thin; the gravy is rich, but not heavy. Suzhou cooks are especially good at preparing dishes using freshwater products. Some of the more famous dishes are braised duck in soy sauce and steamed squirrel mandarin fish.

If you can afford to blow your inheritance, a great place to try is the most famous restaurant in Suzhou--Songhelou, located on Guanqian Jie Street. Their clientele included Qing emperor Qianlong. Also worth a look are the numerous restaurants in the alley at the back of Songhelou.

Suzhou has a history of more than 2,000 years in pastry-making. Glutinous rice flour is the main ingredient. A good example of a traditional Suzhou pastry is the New Year cake. Made of glutinous flour, sugar, and fat, the cake comes in several varieties - rose, and peppermint. As the fat is raw, the cake is cut into small pieces and rolled in cornstarch before being deep-fried.

Another specialty is the Suzhou mooncake. Most people are familiar with the Cantonese version, but the Suzhou mooncake is more popular in east central China. There are many varieties, such as pine nut, ham, sugar and meat, and five-kernels and jujube paste. The mooncake is sweet and crisp, and it can be stored for a long time.

A must-try is Suzhou cherry pork. This traditional dish, usually consumed in late spring and summer. The salty-sweet fried pork is eaten with green vegetables. It was Empress Dowager Cixi's favorite dish.

A pot of tea is the correct thing to drink with your meal. Suzhou has two locally produced teas--Biluochun (Snail Spring Tea) and Jasmine.