Zhang Yun Salted Duck

Zhang Yun Salted Duck is a takeaway shop at 228 Shengzhou Road, in the Chaotiangong Street area of the Qinhuai District in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. It specialises in Nanjing salted duck (yanshui ya) and brined and roast duck, the city's best-known food product, which is sold across Nanjing by weight or by half bird. The shop is a takeaway counter rather than a restaurant, so there is no dining room, Michelin listing or chef context, and the value lies in the quality of a single traditional product. Salted duck is made by curing the bird with salt and spices and then simmering it gently in brine, which produces pale, tender meat with a delicate savoury flavour and is normally eaten cold. Signature items include a half salted duck at about ¥35 and Nanjing roast duck at about ¥40, both of which are inexpensive by comparison with restaurant duck dishes. The duck is popular as a gift and as a travel snack, since it keeps reasonably well and can be packed in a vacuum or box; customers who plan to carry it abroad should check the customs rules of their destination on meat products. There is no seating to speak of, so the atmosphere is that of a local shop, with a short queue, a chopping block and staff carving to order; noise levels are low to moderate. Dress is informal. No wine or spirits are served. The counter does not take reservations, and customers buy on a walk-in basis, although calling ahead is not needed for a single bird. Opening hours are 8AM to 6PM, so evening visitors should aim to buy before closing. Prices are low at the $ level, with a typical purchase costing between ¥35 and ¥80. The Shengzhou Road location is in the north-west of the old south city, close to the Chaotiangong area, and it is reachable by bus or taxi from the main historic districts, making it a practical stop for visitors seeking a local souvenir.