Jin Shui Cold Drinks

Review

Jin Shui Cold Drinks sits on Xinyi Road right beside Xinhua Market. NOWnews reports it has been open since 1921 and is now in its fifth generation, making it one of the oldest snack stalls around Xinhua Old Street. Despite the 'cold drinks' name, the menu follows the seasons: shaved ice in summer, freshly pan-fried sweet rice cake in winter, a local treat people grab while browsing the market.

The item most people come for is pan-fried sweet rice cake (tian guo). Thick slabs of brown-sugar rice cake are fried slowly until the outside is caramelised and slightly crisp while the inside stays soft and chewy without sticking. You can add peanut powder for extra fragrance, or keep it plain for a pure brown-sugar sweetness. There are also savoury and sweet rice cakes and fa gao steamed cakes to take home and reheat.

Diners praise the crisp-edged texture you only get fresh off the pan and the honest prices; some even ride in from other counties. Complaints include long waits, made longer when customers buy in bulk, a sense that it is simply a traditional fried rice cake without surprises, and that it turns oily and firm once cool, so eat it hot.

It opens mornings only, around 7 a.m. to noon, closed Mondays; NOWnews lists a 6 a.m. start, so sources differ and it is worth checking first. Other items often sell out by about 10:30, so come early for choice. It is on the market's edge; scooters park easiest, or drivers can use car parks near the old street and walk. Bring small change.

It suits visitors strolling Xinhua Old Street who want something sweet after lamb soup or a market breakfast. First-timers can eat one fried sweet rice cake with peanut powder on the spot, then take home some savoury cake or fa gao; in summer, switch to shaved ice.