Wangsi Restaurant (王四酒家)

Wangsi Restaurant (王四酒家) is a traditional Su-style restaurant at 94 Pingjiang Road in the Gusu District of Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. Pingjiang Road is the best-preserved historic canal street in the old town, a cobbled lane running beside a narrow waterway with tea houses, shops and lanterns, and the restaurant is popular with visitors walking the street for a sit-down meal. The cooking is Su-style home cooking, the Jiangnan tradition of freshwater fish, river shrimp and slowly braised meat with restrained sweetness and seasonal vegetables. No chef lineage or Michelin listing is attached, and the appeal lies in approachable, reliable local dishes at mid-range prices, in a location that suits a stop during a Pingjiang Road walk. Signature dishes include Su-style braised pork, freshwater fish and seasonal river shrimp. The braised pork is cooked slowly in soy and sugar until glossy and tender, and is the dish that most reflects the home-style character of the menu. Freshwater fish is steamed or braised according to the catch of the day, and river shrimp appears in season, either quickly stir-fried or served in simple preparations that let the sweetness of the shrimp show. Rice and simple vegetable dishes complete a typical meal. The dining room is casual and traditional in feel, with wooden tables and an easy pace, and it is quieter than the large heritage banquet halls near Guanqian Street, though weekends and holidays bring crowds to the road. Dress is casual, and there is no notable wine programme, with tea, beer and local spirits the typical drinks. Reservations are made on Dianping (大众点评) or Meituan by searching 王四酒家, and a booking is a good idea at weekends and public holidays, when Pingjiang Road is at its busiest. The restaurant is listed as open daily from about 11AM to 9PM. Prices are moderate, so a shared meal of two or three dishes with rice suits a couple or small group, and walking the canal before or after dinner is a natural part of the visit.