Xiao Pan Ji Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup

Xiao Pan Ji is a duck blood vermicelli soup shop at 198 East Zhongshan Road in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. Duck blood and vermicelli soup (yaxue fensi tang) is often described as Nanjing's signature bowl, a light, clear broth made from duck stock, holding soft cubes of set duck blood, glass noodles and pieces of duck offal or meat, and finished with coriander and chili oil. The shop is a casual, fast-turnover eatery rather than a chef-led restaurant, so there is no Michelin listing or chef lineage to note; it concentrates on serving a single regional dish quickly and consistently. The signature order is the duck blood vermicelli soup at about ¥18, and the duck-leg vermicelli soup at about ¥25 adds a braised duck leg for those who prefer more meat and less offal. Customers commonly add chili oil, vinegar or white pepper at the table, and some order a side of pan-fried pastry or a boiled egg. Service is quick, with about a 10-minute wait at peak times, and diners typically eat and leave within half an hour. The room is plain, with bench-style seating and a moderate to high noise level at lunchtime, and dress is informal. Tea and soft drinks are the usual beverages, and there is no alcohol programme. The shop does not take reservations and works on a walk-in basis, so visitors simply join the line and take a seat as one becomes free. Opening hours are 7AM to 9PM, which allows breakfast, lunch and an early evening meal. Prices are low at the $ level, with a bowl costing between ¥18 and ¥25 and a full meal well below ¥40. The East Zhongshan Road location is on a main artery through the city and is reachable by metro and bus, so it is easy to fit into a sightseeing route. First-time visitors who are wary of duck blood can try the duck-leg version, which is milder and closer to a conventional noodle soup.