1910 Railway South Station restaurant

The 1910 Railway South Station restaurant is a themed Yunnan restaurant in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in southwest China, that takes its identity from the old Yunnan-Vietnam railway. That narrow-gauge line, which connected Kunming with the Vietnamese port of Haiphong, was completed in 1910, and the Kunming South Station was its terminus, so the date in the name refers to a formative moment in the city's modern history. The restaurant uses railway imagery in its decor to evoke that period. The address is No. 8 Houxin Street in Xishan District, close to the rear gate of the First People's Hospital, in the old city. The kitchen serves Yunnan cuisine, and its dishes include steam-pot chicken (qiguo ji), a chicken soup cooked in a lidded earthenware pot with a central chimney, and fried goat cheese (rushan), a firm, pan-fried cheese from the Bai and Sani communities of Yunnan that is typically eaten as a snack or side dish. Average spend is CNY 66-120 (about $10-18) per person, which is moderate and suits groups ordering several dishes to share. The atmosphere is casual and nostalgic rather than formal, and the theme gives it more character than a standard restaurant, which appeals to visitors with an interest in the history of the Yunnan-Vietnam line or in themed dining. The restaurant is listed as open 11:00-22:00 daily, so it can serve lunch and dinner, and it operates on a walk-in basis; reservations are not normally required, although a call ahead is sensible for groups. Houxin Street is in a central area close to the city's main sights, making the restaurant a convenient stop during a day of sightseeing in old Kunming. Visitors who want a simple introduction to Yunnan cooking in an atmospheric setting will find the menu easy to navigate.