Ganjiajie Lemon Duck's Yuanhu South Road branch occupies the first two floors of the Hawaii Building in Qingxiu District and is widely treated as the reference kitchen for Nanning lemon duck, a Zhuang-influenced dish built around duck stir-fried with preserved lemon and sour chili. The brand traces to a family recipe founded in 1981, and the Yuanhu location is one of its longer-running branches, known for balancing the dish's sour, spicy, salty and savoury notes without letting any one element dominate, a balance regulars use to judge every other version in the city. Alongside the signature duck the kitchen serves a duck blood and garlic chive soup, stir-fried bitter greens and steamed rice finished with duck stock. The dining rooms are large, brightly lit and set up for round tables and family groups rather than couples, with a noise level that rises sharply during weekend dinner service; there is no house wine or cocktail programme, in keeping with a restaurant built around Chinese tea and beer to go with a family-style duck dinner. Reservations are recommended for weekend evenings, when the dining rooms fill with multi-generation family groups, though weekday meals are usually easy to walk into.
| Price | $$ (¥64-80 ($9.56-11.95) per person) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily approximately 11AM-2:30PM, 5PM-9:30PM |
| Reservations | Recommended for weekend dinner; the dining rooms fill with family groups |
| Address | 12-2 Yuanhu South Road, 1F-2F Hawaii Building, Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi 530022, China |
Signature dishes
- Nanning lemon duck stir-fried with preserved lemon and sour chili
- Duck blood and garlic chive soup
- Stir-fried bitter greens
- Steamed rice with duck stock
Good to know
- Known for
- A lemon duck house founded in 1981 and widely regarded as the reference version of Nanning's signature Zhuang-influenced duck dish, cooked to a house recipe balancing sour, spicy, salty and savoury
Location
12-2 Yuanhu South Road, 1F-2F Hawaii Building, Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi 530022, China
22.8170, 108.3436 View on map
Highlights
- Widely regarded as the reference version of Nanning's signature lemon duck
- House recipe dating to 1981 balancing sour, spicy, salty and savoury flavours
- Duck blood and garlic chive soup as a classic accompaniment
- Large dining rooms suited to family-style, multi-dish meals
Tips for visiting
- Book ahead for Friday and Saturday dinner, when family groups fill the dining rooms
- Order the duck for the table to share rather than as an individual portion
- Ask for the dish less spicy if unused to sour chili, since the house balance leans assertive
- Pair the duck with steamed rice cooked in duck stock rather than plain rice
Accessibility
The restaurant occupies the ground and first floors of a commercial building with lift access to the upper dining room, though individual step-free routes should be confirmed on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
What makes this branch of Ganjiajie notable?
It is one of the brand's longer-running locations and is often cited locally as the version against which other Nanning lemon duck restaurants are judged.
Is lemon duck very spicy?
It carries noticeable sour and chili heat, but the house balance is designed to keep it savoury rather than overwhelmingly hot.
Should visitors book ahead?
Reservations are recommended for weekend dinner, when the restaurant fills with family groups; weekday meals are usually walk-in friendly.
Is the restaurant suited to solo diners?
It is set up mainly for shared, family-style dining, so a solo visitor may find portions and pacing better suited to two or more people.