Zhengzong Xiaoyao Lao Li Hu La Tang, Luohe Store (正宗逍遥老李风味胡辣汤·漯河店)

Zhengzong Xiaoyao Lao Li Hu La Tang, Luohe Store, is a hu la tang shop about 120 metres north of the Jinggangshan Road and Changjiang Road junction, on the west side of the road in Yuanhui District, Luohe, Henan Province, China. It serves Xiaoyao-style hu la tang, a version of the peppery thickened soup named after Xiaoyao town, which is associated with one of the best-known regional styles in Henan. The Xiaoyao tradition is generally described as having a rich, savoury, pepper-forward broth thickened with starch and filled with ingredients such as beef, wheat gluten, vermicelli, peanuts and kelp. The shop's name uses the word zhengzong, meaning authentic, a common claim among brands working in this tradition, and the Luohe store operates as one outlet of that style rather than as a chef-led restaurant, so there is no Michelin or fine-dining context. The signature and essentially only dish worth ordering is the Xiaoyao hu la tang itself, typically eaten for breakfast alongside fried dough or a steamed bun. The dining room is a modest, functional space of the kind common to Chinese soup shops, with simple tables, an ordering counter and quick service. There is no dress code, the atmosphere is informal, and noise is moderate with peaks at breakfast. Beverages are limited to ordinary soft drinks and tea, and there is no notable wine programme. Reservations are not used: the venue is walk-in, and the phone number 188-3952-3399 is listed for enquiries. A bowl costs about 8 to 15 yuan (roughly 1 to 2 US dollars). The location in the western part of Yuanhui District suits visitors staying away from the central Renmin Road area, and it offers a comparison point for those sampling hu la tang at different shops across Luohe, since each seller adjusts thickness, pepper and spice mix to personal taste.