Puyuan (Yujingcheng branch)

Puyuan, the Yujingcheng branch, is a Huaiyang restaurant in the old Huai'an district, formerly known as Chuzhou, in Huai'an, Jiangsu province, China. The address is 280 metres east of the Chuzhou Avenue and Xiangyu Avenue junction, on the north side of the road, in the Huai'an District. The name Puyuan refers to pu cai, the cattail vegetable, a tender, pale shoot harvested from marsh and lake edges that is one of the best-known ingredients of the Huai'an area and a symbol of the local table. Cattail dishes are therefore the restaurant's calling card, prepared in the Huaiyang manner with light stocks, quick stir-frying or gentle braising so that the crisp, slightly sweet texture is preserved. Other Huaiyang dishes round out the menu, including the regional river-fish and meatball preparations typical of the city. The dining room is a casual, family-oriented space with a moderate noise level, used by local residents for everyday meals and small celebrations rather than formal banquets. Dress is relaxed. Average spending is about 83 yuan (roughly 12 US dollars) per person, a mid-range price for Huai'an, and the listed rating is 4.2. No reservation line is published for this branch, so walk-in is the normal approach; diners wanting to secure a table or check queues can search the Chinese name, 蒲园(御景城店), in the Dianping or Meituan apps. Tea is the standard drink and there is no featured wine list. The restaurant is convenient for visitors staying near the old city and combining a meal with sightseeing in the Huai'an District, since it sits on one of the main avenues. Evenings and weekends are the busiest periods.