Nanning Dining
Nanning cuisine shares many similarities with that of Cantonese cuisine. It is particular about the freshness, tenderness and the nourishment of the dishes. Most tourists are much fonder of the special snacks, which are also popular among the locals.
Most Popular Nanning Snacks
Lao You Fen (Old Friend Rice Noodles)
Fen is made by steaming the rice liquor in bamboo boxes. The steamed liquor then becomes a whole cake and can be cut into different shapes. Fen can be eaten with different ingredients, resulting in many varieties of Fen food.
Lao You Fen is the most famous Fen dish and has over 100 years of history. Legend has it that an old man went to Zhou Ji Teahouse everyday and made friends with the Boss Zhou. One day he was not able to go because of a cold. Boss Zhou made a bowl of hot Fen especially for his old friend. That Fen dish had so many flavors including garlic, fermented bean, pepper, beef and sour bamboo shoots that it helped the old man recover quickly. From then on, Lao You Fen became popular for its multi-flavors and cold-busting abilities.
Ba Zhen Fen (Eight Treasures Rice Noodles)
This is another Fen food worthy of a taste. It is said to be the imperial food in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). More than eight treasures from land and sea are used as the Fen's ingredients creating a variety of tastes, hence its name.
Shao Ya (Roasted Duck)
Most tourists in China may be more familiar with Beijing Roast Duck which is the quintessential symbol of all northern China duck dishes. Actually Nanning Roasted Duck is representative of all southern China duck dishes. Different from Beijing ducks, Nanning roast ducks are made of local fatty ducks and special ingredients. The duck meat is still together with bones and skin, appearing as a brightly golden color. The meat is amazingly tender and even the bones are more delicious than ever thought possible.
Suan Ye (Fermented Fruit or Vegetable)
Nanning locals prefer sour food. Suan Ye has been popular for centuries. The locals soak some fruits such as pineapple, pawpaw, mango, olive and wild peach in a mixture of vinegar, pepper and sugar. Some use vegetables as materials such as tender cabbages, carrots, broccoli and lotus roots. The fermented fruit or vegetable tastes both sweet and sour as well as a little hot. This is also a good way to preserve food.
Additionally, Nanning has various kinds of porridges. Corn Porridge, Fish Head Porridge, Preserved Egg and Lean Pork Porridge, Glutinous Rice Porridge are some of the most popular ones. The locals eat such porridges all the year round. Mo Shang Porridge House is a traditional and the most renowned place to enjoy porridges. It is located on Ce Bian Jie out of Cang Xi City Wall.
Best Local Restaurants
Address: No.38, Min Sheng Lu (Minsheng Rd.)
Speciality: both the local and other dishes
Xi Yuan Restaurant
Address: No.38, Jiang Nan Lu (Jiangnan Rd.)
Speciality: Guangxi local food
Ming Yuan Restaurant
Address: No.38, Xin Min Lu (Xinmin Rd.)
Speciality: Cantonese Cuisine
Nanhu Fish Restaurant
Address: in Nanhu Lake Park, Bin Hu Lu (Binhu Rd.)
Speciality: fish dishes
Western Food Restaurants
Lv Yin Ge
No.61, Tao Yuan Lu (Taoyuan Rd.)
Jin Qin Steak
No.51, Tao Yuan Zhong Lu (middle Taoyuan Rd.)
Louis XIII
Yuanhu Branch: No. 7-1, South Yuanhu Road, Qingxiu District
Dongge Branch: No.5, Dongge Road, Qingxiu District
Fast Food
KFC
No. 49, Min Zu Da Dao (Minzu Avenue)
McDonald's
No. 2-1, Gu Cheng Lu
Dining Streets
Zhongshan Lu (Zhongshan Rd.) is the very place where you can enjoy the most genuine local snacks. This location is where you can find many traditional restaurants providing all kinds of local flavors with reasonable prices. It is also the night market of the city. Other food streets include Qixing Rd., Gucheng Rd., Jianzheng Rd., Sixian Rd. and Xinzhu Rd.
Ke Qing Yuan Vegetarian Restaurant: no. 41, Lingxiu Road, Xixiangtang District.