Have you ever thought of visiting the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao; 夫子庙) area and sampling some local cuisine there? If so, you might have already been warned off by your Nanjing friends.  It is puzzling because the area indeed had a reputation for delicious food. These days, however, too many restaurants and shops in that area offer nothing but overpriced, poor-quality food, with the knowledge that most of their customers are tourists who will not come back anyway. One may even argue that the locals will not eat anything in the...

When it comes to a halal diet, people will always think of a series of delicacies made from beef and mutton. However, there is such a restaurant that uses the most common fish, duck, prawns and eggs in Nanjing as ingredients, applying new ideas and a unique style to make dishes with both halal flavours and Jiangnan characteristics, which has won the recognition of many diners.  Welcome to Ma Xiangxing, an icon of the city's cuisine in the minds of Nanjingers for over 100 years. When I strolled along Yunnan Bei...

We all know what the larger Fuzimiao area is like in the lantern season. Much as we are proud of it, we often have to avoid that area due to the crowd. It would be nice if there is a quieter corner, or in Xin Qiji’s (辛弃疾; 1140-1207) words, “Somewhere the lantern lights are sparse”, somewhere we can enjoy a bowl of yuanxiao at ease. That is why I am writing this with mixed feelings; not yet known to many, there is indeed such a place right inside the Laomendong...

You know there is a sort of restaurant in every city. They often look small and unpretentious from the outside, despite their long-standing reputation in the community. They specialise in local favourites; nothing too fancy, but simply tasty and comforting. The prices are affordable, the vibe casual and friendly. Inside, surrounded by glasses clinking, people chatting and perhaps kids crying, you peek into the everyday life of locals and as the night goes on, eventually find yourself becoming part of them. It might get too loud sometimes, but having...