Best Grilled Skewers at the Night Market
IntermediateNightlife
A tourist stops a local woman on a busy night market street to ask which stall has the best grilled skewers and how to pay for them.
M
MarkL
LinM
你好，打扰一下，我想问问这条街上哪家烤串最好吃？
nǐ hǎo, dǎrǎo yíxià, wǒ xiǎng wènwen zhè tiáo jiē shàng nǎ jiā kǎochuàn zuì hǎochī?
Hello, excuse me, I'd like to ask which stall on this street has the tastiest grilled skewers?
L
你算是问对人了！前面那家挂红灯笼的最有名，天天都排队。
nǐ suànshì wèn duì rén le! qiánmiàn nà jiā guà hóng dēnglong de zuì yǒumíng, tiāntiān dōu páiduì.
You've asked the right person! The one up ahead with the red lanterns is the most famous—there's a line every single day.
M
排队没关系，只要好吃就行。他家的招牌是什么？
páiduì méi guānxi, zhǐyào hǎochī jiù xíng. tā jiā de zhāopái shì shénme?
Waiting in line is fine, as long as it's tasty. What's their signature dish?
L
他家的烤羊肉串和烤鸡翅特别受欢迎，撒的孜然和辣椒面儿特别够味。
tā jiā de kǎo yángròuchuàn hé kǎo jīchì tèbié shòu huānyíng, sǎ de zīrán hé làjiāo miànr tèbié gòu wèi.
Their grilled lamb skewers and chicken wings are especially popular—the cumin and chili powder they sprinkle on are really flavorful.
M
听起来太香了！那我在哪儿付钱呢，是先点还是吃完再付？
tīng qǐlai tài xiāng le! nà wǒ zài nǎr fùqián ne, shì xiān diǎn háishi chī wán zài fù?
That sounds amazing! So where do I pay—do I order first, or pay after eating?
L
他家是先点先付，你在摊子前跟老板说要几串，他会直接告诉你多少钱。
tā jiā shì xiān diǎn xiān fù, nǐ zài tānzi qián gēn lǎobǎn shuō yào jǐ chuàn, tā huì zhíjiē gàosu nǐ duōshao qián.
There you order and pay first—just tell the owner at the stall how many skewers you want, and he'll tell you the total right away.
M
明白了。那能用手机支付吗？我身上没带多少现金。
míngbai le. nà néng yòng shǒujī zhīfù ma? wǒ shēnshang méi dài duōshao xiànjīn.
Got it. Can I pay with my phone? I don't have much cash on me.
L
当然可以，摊子上都贴着微信和支付宝的二维码，扫一下就行。
dāngrán kěyǐ, tānzi shàng dōu tiē zhe wēixìn hé zhīfùbǎo de èrwéimǎ, sǎo yíxià jiù xíng.
Of course you can—the stall has WeChat and Alipay QR codes posted, just scan one and you're done.
M
太方便了！那一串大概多少钱？我怕会挺贵的。
tài fāngbiàn le! nà yí chuàn dàgài duōshao qián? wǒ pà huì tǐng guì de.
So convenient! So roughly how much is one skewer? I'm worried it might be pretty pricey.
L
不贵，羊肉串一般三五块钱一串，鸡翅稍微贵一点，特别划算。
bú guì, yángròuchuàn yìbān sān wǔ kuài qián yí chuàn, jīchì shāowēi guì yìdiǎn, tèbié huásuàn.
Not expensive—lamb skewers are usually three to five yuan each, chicken wings are a bit more, but it's a great deal.
M
那我这就去排队，太谢谢你了，这么热心帮我！
nà wǒ zhè jiù qù páiduì, tài xièxie nǐ le, zhème rèxīn bāng wǒ!
Then I'll go line up right now—thank you so much for being so kind and helping me!
L
不客气，祝你吃得开心！记得多点几串，不然肯定不够吃。
bú kèqi, zhù nǐ chī de kāixīn! jìde duō diǎn jǐ chuàn, bùrán kěndìng bú gòu chī.
You're welcome, enjoy your meal! Remember to order a few extra skewers, otherwise it definitely won't be enough.