Changmen and Shantang are the first and second-class places of wealth and romance in the world of mortals described by Cao Xueqin. They have been the prosperous areas of Gusu city since ancient times. Shantang street, known as “the first street in Gusu”, is about seven Li long, reaching changmen in the East and Huqiu in the west, so it is also called “Qili Shantang”.
Speaking of Shantang street, many people will come up with a picture of the sound of oars and the shadow of lights at night. A mountain pond river flows slowly, and boats come and go. The lanterns on both sides of the river reflect a winding “red ribbon” in the water. Walking along the bank, you unconsciously enter the dream of Jiangnan Water Town.
The first half of Shantang street is prosperous, and the second half is the earthly joys. The section from yubeiting to Xinmin bridge is familiar to tourists. The section from Xinmin bridge to the west is not so crowded, not so prosperous, but very grounded, which is closer to the life of Suzhou people.
Where there is a flavor of life there must be authentic snacks. Many old restaurants have taken root in Shantang street for decades, witnessed the changes of the old street, and accompanied the life and growth of generations of Suzhou people. These decades of constant old taste, often think of, often taste, people feel more cordial, there is a “home” feeling.
Ma Dongpei Sumai
Ma Dongpei Sumai is a popular shop which once opened in Shantang street. After moving to xinminqiao market, business is still very good and a long line is set up in the early morning. Aunt Ma, the owner of the shop, has been making sumai for more than 20 years. Before, she gave it to her relatives, friends and neighbors. Later, she opened a shop in Shantang street.
The weight of each sumai in the store is controlled at about 125g. A sumai is as big as a palm, so it is absolutely a “Big Mac” in the field of sumai. In addition to being big, the specialty of Ma Dongpei’s cooking lies in the stuffing. The stuffing contains glutinous rice, mushrooms, Kaiyang and diced meat, which are fried early every morning. The fried glutinous rice, mushrooms, Kaiyang and diced meat, together with various seasonings, are fully stirred before they become the fried stuffing of the thick oil red sauce. Break off a freshly steamed sumai, you can clearly see the mushrooms, diced meat and Kaiyang inside. The grains of glutinous rice are clear and shiny. “Good taste, enough weight, affordable price”, which is almost all customers of Ma Dongpei sumai’s praise.
Yichangfu
Steamed buns from yichangfu, a century old shop, have always been loved by Suzhou people. Steamed buns with traditional flavors, such as fresh meat bun, three diced bun, green vegetables and mushrooms bun, are large enough and are essential for many people’s breakfast. In addition to steamed buns, there are also some snacks in the shop, such as steamed buns cut with knives and scallion rolls. White rolls, with a strong flavor of chives, with a bowl of porridge, is the most refreshing breakfast.
Jiangnan crab shell king
Jiangnan crab shell king as the name suggests is a shop selling Suzhou traditional snack. After the first pot of fresh crab shell in the morning, the old Suzhou in front of the shop began to come in an endless stream. At noon and afternoon, many tourists come to the market to punch in this kind of crispy snack.
The shop is very small, you can see the whole process of making crab shell yolk from the window. Everything from kneading the dough, sticking the sesame seeds to putting them in the oven is clear. Crab shell yolk is salty and sweet, sweet sesame sugar crab shell yolk is round, salty onion oil crab shell yolk is long oval, there is a new taste of turnip crab shell yolk, by the surface of black sesame to distinguish.
Xiaomin salted goose
As the weather gets hotter, people’s tastes begin to turn to light, and the cooking methods of food materials also pay attention to appetizing and refreshing. At this time, salted goose, salted duck and other bittern are on the stage one after another. In the past two years, Xiaomin salted geese have been blooming all over Suzhou. The salted geese have soft and tough skin, tender and firm meat, fresh taste, and good taste with rice and wine.In the past two years, Xiaomin salted geese have been blooming all over Suzhou. The salted geese have soft and tough skin, tender and firm meat, fresh taste, and good taste with rice and wine.
Oriental pickle shop
Not far from Xiaomin salted goose, the Oriental pickle shop is also popular with diners for its signature stewed dishes, such as spiced beef tendon, spiced beef, tiger skin spicy chicken, and spiced grass chicken.
In the second half of the Shantang street, the shops on both sides are very life-oriented. Milk tea shops, teahouses and restaurants are not found here. Instead, fruit shops, fried goods shops, tailoring shops and other shops close to daily life. These small shops, without much decoration and have their own scenery on the old street.
After the beginning of summer, there were more and more salted duck egg shops. White and tender protein, red and oily yolk, I think I have a big appetite.
Wan Fuxing
Wanfuxing pastry group store was founded in the first month of the third year of Xuantong in Qing Dynasty. It is a famous time-honored brand in Suzhou pastry group. In addition to all kinds of muffins, lard cakes and so on, his family also orders them to be on the market at any time, such as the moon supporting cake on the second day of February, the fairy cake on the fourteenth of April, the Chongyang cake on the ninth day of September and so on.
Wanfuxing, which is open on Shantang street, has a sense of age in its small window, wooden door and pastry price list. Although the shop is small, the business in the neighborhood is also very good. By the time we got back here after visiting Shantang street, the door was closed and it said “sold out today”.
A’er roast chicken
This famous roast chicken shop on Shantang street has a long line at the door every morning. It’s said that it’s almost sold out by noon, so if you want to eat, you must hurry up. The people who come here to buy roast chicken, including residents living nearby and also have someone come to buy chicken from other districts of Suzhou. They are also in line early and willing to see the charm of this roast chicken.
Well done roast chicken with bright color and looks very attractive. The skin is crisp but not oily, the meat is crisp but not firewood. It tastes very tender, even the chicken bone is very tasty.
Rongyang building
This Rongyang building on Shantang street is unique among the many century old stores in Suzhou. Since its opening, it is the only one with no branch. To eat his family’s signature food, you must come to Shantang street.
For those who come to Rongyang building to eat snacks, they usually have a cage of soup dumplings and two fried dough dumplings at each table. If they have a big appetite, they also need a bowl of wonton or a fried pork.
Zhuxinnian snack shop
Zhuxinnian snack shop, which was first opened in 1986 by Xingqiao, Shantang street, is a lot of people living near Shantang street from snacks to big shops. At 5:30 a.m. every day, groups of people come to eat snacks to fill the small shop. At 7:00 and lunch time, there is a long line at the door.
The most famous snack in the shop is tangtuan. Excellent material selection, fine practice, pure handmade, is the secret of Zhu new year dumplings delicious. Five kinds of fillings are salty, sweet and meaty, including fresh meat, sesame, bean paste, peanut and shredded radish. Each of them is made and packaged every day. It tastes unique and has a good taste. Zhuxinnian’s dumplings are delicious, and Su style noodles and other su style snacks are also unique. Stewed meat noodles, fried raw meat and wonton are popular dishes with high order rate.