Du's Pan-Fried Buns (Dushi Shengjian)

Du's Pan-Fried Buns (杜氏生煎包, Dushi Shengjian) is a street-food stall and small shop at No. 18 Jiaotong Lane, on the west side of the stadium, in Sihong County, Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China. It is a snack stop in Sihong's county town that specialises in shengjian, pan-fried buns, a dish most associated with Shanghai and the wider Jiangsu-Zhejiang region. The sources consulted describe the signature as pan-fried buns with a thin skin and soupy filling (生煎包). The buns are cooked in a flat pan with oil and a little water, so the bottoms turn golden and crisp while the tops stay soft and the pork filling releases a hot broth when bitten. Eating them carefully is advisable, since the soup can be very hot, and the usual approach is to bite a small opening, sip the broth and then eat the bun. Shengjian is traditionally a breakfast or snack food, so the stall is most active in the morning and early afternoon, although opening hours are not published in the sources consulted and should be confirmed locally. Prices are also not published, but street-side pan-fried buns in Jiangsu are generally inexpensive, typically a few yuan per portion of four to six buns. The setting is a simple, informal street shop with little or no seating, no dress code and a quick-service, bustling atmosphere with locals queuing for takeaway portions. Beverages are not a focus; soy milk, tea or bottled drinks are the usual accompaniments, and diners often pair the buns with a bowl of soup or porridge from a neighbouring stall. No phone number or reservation system applies, and walk-ins are the norm. Payment is typically by WeChat Pay or Alipay, with cash accepted at many stalls. The stall suits visitors in Sihong who want a cheap, local snack, and its position next to the stadium makes it easy to find on a map search for Jiaotong Lane.