Xiaoyao Tong Laoba Hu La Tang (逍遥佟老八胡辣汤)

Xiaoyao Tong Laoba Hu La Tang is a soup shop at No. 845 Huanghe Road in Yancheng District, on the Yancheng side of Luohe, Henan Province, China, near the Shaliheshi riverfront. Luohe is divided by the Shaying River into districts, and Yancheng lies on the opposite side of the water from the central Yuanhui area, so this shop is a useful stop for visitors exploring the riverfront or staying in Yancheng. It serves Xiaoyao-style hu la tang, the peppery thickened soup tradition named after Xiaoyao town in Henan, built on a savoury starch-thickened broth with ingredients such as beef, wheat gluten, vermicelli, peanuts and kelp, and seasoned generously with pepper. The shop is a casual street-food operation, not a chef-led restaurant, so there is no Michelin or fine-dining lineage to note. Hu la tang is the signature and the principal reason to visit; it is usually paired with fried dough, steamed buns or fried dumplings bought alongside. The dining room follows the standard pattern of Chinese breakfast soup shops: simple furniture, an ordering counter, rapid service and little ceremony. There is no dress code, noise is moderate, and the clientele is mostly local residents eating a quick morning meal. Beverages are limited to tea, soy milk and soft drinks, with no wine programme. Reservations are not used; the shop works on a walk-in basis, and the phone number 137-3397-7747 is listed. Prices are low, at about 8 to 15 yuan (roughly 1 to 2 US dollars) per person. A morning here can be combined with a stroll along the nearby Shaliheshi riverfront, which is the main reason many visitors cross to the Yancheng side. Those comparing hu la tang across the city will find it useful for contrasting a Yancheng neighbourhood shop with those in Yuanhui District.