Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang tries Beijing’s ‘zhajiangmian’ on food tour

BEIJING (AP) — Jensen Huang is trying some of Beijing’s delicacies — the good, and others which may be more of an acquired taste.

The Nvidia CEO was spotted by the public and local media at No. 69 Fangzhuanchang Noodles, for a bowl of “zhajiangmian” — a Beijing specialty that features noodles covered in a thick soybean-paste sauce mixed with veggies and meat.

“It’s so good,” he said, as he dug into the bowl, standing in front of the restaurant entrance. Onlookers crowded around filming him and taking photos.

But the “douzhi’er,” a fermented soybean drink that’s slightly sour and gray-green in color, made the Nvidia CEO wince. Videos of his reaction were trending on Weibo, the Chinese social media platform, Friday afternoon. The drink is a Beijing classic, but only liked by some.

Huang then quickly bought a sweet drink from Chinese beverage chain Mixue Bingcheng to recover.

Huang was touring the Nanluoguxiang area in Beijing’s eastern district, known for its distinctive traditional low-rise homes called hutongs. The area is a mix of shops, restaurants and also home to some city residents. Many of the houses had been demolished across the years, but Beijing had preserved a small section.