Eighteenth Street Mahua
Hebei, Tianjin
The famously twisted fried dough of Tianjin - a snack so iconic it has its own street name.
Mahua - twisted, fried, sugar-glazed dough - is Tianjin's signature snack, and the Eighteenth Street brand is the institution, baking since 1928. The classic is studded with sesame and sweet-savory in a way that is impossible to describe and easy to devour.
The flagship shop sells them fresh, still warm, in flavors from plain sesame to chocolate. Buy a box for the road - it survives airport security and airplane hours better than most memories.
Best for: Tianjin's signature twisted snack, warm from the fryer.
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