“Nan He Tong”: With ¥40 per person!

📍1/F, Nantong Sports & Convention Center, No. 7 Taoyuan Road, Chongchuan District, Nantong, China

🍴 Pushing open the door of “Nan He Tong” feels like stepping back into a Chinese city of the 1970s and 1980s:

On the walls, there are old-style community notice boards.

On the street corner, a green postal mailbox stands quietly.

Across the way, a sign reads “Hongqiao Dance Hall.”

In the courtyard, people hold enamel cups in their hands,

drinking plain hot water while chatting and eating.

It doesn’t feel like a restaurant.

It feels like memory.

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🥢 Ma Fang Jiao Stinky Tofu | ¥10 ⭐⭐⭐

Black on the outside, white on the inside.

Visually unappealing,

but not particularly “stinky,” and surprisingly aromatic.

The seasoning leans spicy, instantly awakening the appetite.

This is the kind of dish that makes you crave rice from the very first bite.

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🥬 Tongcheng Mixed Stir-fry | ¥20 ⭐⭐

Despite its name sounding like a vegetable dish,

it is essentially a carb-heavy stir-fry dominated by wide glass noodles.

Bean sprouts, Chinese chives, egg strips, and small shrimp are thrown together in a medley.

The flavor is acceptable but unremarkable.

The oil, however, pools at the bottom of the bowl,

making the last few bites noticeably greasy.

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🐟 Salt-Baked Yellow Croaker | ¥59 ⭐⭐⭐

Arriving at the table with a sizzling sound,

this dish delivers a strong sense of ceremony.

The fish is tender and delicate, though riddled with small bones.

Two croakers look generous at first glance,

yet disappear surprisingly quickly—

just a few bites, and the plate is nearly empty.

The skin sticks stubbornly to the pan,

requiring some patience to separate the meat.

In short:

delicious, but not entirely satisfying.

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🌶️ Double-Pepper Bullfrog | ¥79 ⭐⭐⭐

Perhaps the least “Nantong-style” dish on the menu.

Its heat level rivals that of Sichuan and Hunan cuisine.

Green peppers, red peppers, pickled peppers, and green peppercorns all make an appearance.

The bullfrog is tender and juicy,

while the numbing spiciness hits hard.

If you’re not good with spicy food,

you may find yourself—like me—

tasting this dish with tears in your eyes.

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🍳 Grandma’s Soy Sauce Steamed Egg | ¥19 ⭐⭐⭐

I finally understood why this dish is so beloved.

Not because it is extraordinary in flavor,

but because of its sheer portion size.

A bowl larger than the span of a hand,

filled to the brim with silky steamed egg.

Seasoned simply with soy sauce and scallions,

it is clearly designed for children—

though adults may find themselves nostalgically transported back to childhood.

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🍚 Lard Rice | ¥2 ⭐⭐⭐

Served in a small ceramic bowl,

the rice carries a subtle aroma of pork lard,

with soy sauce drizzled at the center.

The deeper you eat, the richer the flavor becomes.

Paired with the steamed egg,

it turns out to be unexpectedly perfect.

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Final Thoughts

The overall taste is decent but not outstanding.

Yet in terms of value for money,

it easily outperforms most restaurants in the city.

It is an ideal place for casual gatherings with friends or family.

No need for elaborate dishes or refined settings—

just ordinary people sitting together,

drinking hot water, talking, and sharing food.

Perhaps,

this is what “Nan He Tong” truly offers:

not just a meal,

but the unmistakable warmth and everyday poetry of Nantong’s street life.

#chinafood #nantong #chinaadventures #chinafoodie #chinatravels