I am going to Lanzhou to work with some colleagues at Lanzhou University. I know better thank to go there for tourism!

Funny you should mention Tianshui -- I have been all over Gansu, from Dunhuang and the Xinjiang border in the north to the Tibetan Plateau in the west to the Loess Plateau in the east, but I have yet to make it to Tianshui. At some point, I would like to check out the Tianshui grottoes, though. Maybe as part of an overland trip to Sichuan...

I remember a street full of restuarants off of Tianshui Lu in Lanzhou, not far from Lan Da's gate. I think it was called called Nongmin Xiang, but I could be remembering a different city entirely. If this rings a bell, phillipas, and if you have have any recs in this area, I'd be thankful!

Thanks for the tips.