sadly in this situation there are very little alternatives i try to eat somewhere that looks clean and dont look too deeply, im beginning to cook more for myself.

Of course if you look closely at the kitchens you are not going to like what you see. It's the same if you eat in a nice restaurant or on a little plastic stool on the side of the street. People just want to assume the nicer place is cleaner, out of sight out of mind. I mean come on, you're in China what do you expect? Five-star service at every little noodle shop you stop at? You can't drink the water because of bacteria, you can't drink boiled water because of the metals and toxins, you can't drink bottled water because of fly eggs, you can't breath the air.... I could go on all day.

Yes everything here will kill you sooner or latter. So why worry about it. Just sit back enjoy your life (how short it may be) and enjoy the food.

Back in the States you wouldn't want to see inside the kitchens of some of the best tasting Mexican restaurants. But if you have to think about it, just consider it an daily exercise for your immune system. Because exercising and having a strong immune system is good for you.

DaBen, i dont think you get it..... i never go into any dogy place, if the dining area is dirty then you can imagine the kitchen must be worse. i don't expect all the places clean this is why i don't eat on the streets. I just stay away form any Chinese run restaurant, i can assure you if its owned by a European it will be clean. They used to the rules and regulations in Europe and UK (not Mexico or Mexican USA restaurants).
I eat at home or... where i feel comfortable where my food is prepared by Europeans. I pay with good money and expect good food. ID you eat for 2 RMB well, then you get what you paid for.
The best cheap place i have ever eaten is.. Saizeriva ... there are many branches in China. If you want to eat for less, you can eat fairly good things for less than 25 RMB and its clean.
Im not afraid of dying, i just want clean food. How can you get something you KNOW is dirty in your mouth, i just cant.
Yes i wish i wasn't so full of shit when it comes to food because it only me that suffer to get a place to eat and feel comfortable.

Yeah I understand what you mean, I know a couple of guys from Taiwan that are exactly that same and I couldn't convince them otherwise either. Though I still say all three of you are missing out on many of the great tastes and charms that the country offers.

My comments were more for others reading your question and start to become turned off from what they were previously enjoying without thinking too much about it. I know I don't have a chance convincing you (our opinions are too distant). It was to help save other people from falling into the dark side.

Da Ben and all other readers. Please i don't try to put you off from the dishes you enjoy. If i look at this issue, sure i am in the minority and due to my "silly" views suffer. My family back home would also enjoy most food here in China (i truly wish i=t was so easy for me)

This is likely why most foreigners never shit right ever again after arriving here...

Use Chinese traditional medicine.... if its constipation you can use some fireworks
If you have the runs .. 2 table spoons of cement..

Actually I brought meds from home helps more than the ground seahorse penis remedy...

I never eat out not because the restaurant is dirty nor because of the kitchen, it is because of the dirty Chef these people have. Wait long enough outside a restaurant and you will see them take a piss in the street and then go back to making your food. Besides I can not eat with Chinese people. I can't stand the noise they make. In a restaurant it is like feeding time at the zoo.

hey i often go into the kitchen to choose what i want, especially if i dont know how to make my order in Chinese...
Yes, i almost always eat in the cheap places less than 10yuan, these places look alittle dirty at times but i rarely get sick or diarear...most often get bad after affects from mid level 'non family run bussinesses' where they hire the cheapest cook possible, these places may look nice in the eating area and may even have pictures or English to choose from but in my experiance they are often not as safe to eat at as the small shop run by a guy and his wife.