6. Qingdao, Shandong Province

A perfect plate to go with China's best brew.

This is one of China's best seafood cities.

There is no better accompaniment to the city’s refreshing brew, Tsingtao, than the local shrimp, clams, geoducks, sea cucumbers and crayfish.

At Qingdao's Haidao restaurant, choose the catch of the day from the tanks, request a method of cooking (if unsure, the restaurant will help), sit down with a jug of beer then wait to see what turns up.

The emphasis is on preserving the seafood's fresh taste so don't expect a lot of complex heavy sauces. Instead, enjoy gala (local clams cooked with garlic and a little chili), or wok-fired shrimp with scallions.

For those who love to smell brine and hear the creak of rigging with your seafood, Xiao Gang Pier in northern Qingdao is lined with fishing boats selling directly from their decks.

More on CNN: Toasting Tsingtao in Qingdao: China's beach-lined beer city

Haidao Seafood Restaurant 40 YunXiao Lu, Qingdao 海島漁村, 青島市云霄路40號(hào); +86 532 8573 5588, open daily 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Qingdao Xiaogang Pier Seafood Market, Xiaogang Yi Lu, Shibei District, Qingdao 青島小港海鮮市場(chǎng), 青島市北區(qū)小港一路, open daily 7 a.m.-4 p.m., best choice in the morning

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