Lao Jinlong Restaurant

Review

Lao Jinlong Restaurant is on Minzu Street in Nanzhuang Township, right beside Osmanthus Lane, the busiest part of Nanzhuang Old Street. Supertaste says it has been open for more than sixty years, making it one of Nanzhuang's oldest Hakka eateries. The room keeps a strong old-time feel, and its square tables are converted from traditional sewing machines, which the owners call 'tables of blessed eating'. Many visitors walk straight in after strolling the old street.

The menu centres on set meals for two up to fourteen people, with dishes that can be swapped or added. Signatures include Hakka stir-fry, minced pork with preserved mustard, braised makino bamboo shoots, free-range chicken and pickled mustard pork soup. Trout from the Nanzhuang hills comes steamed, sweet-and-sour or smoked, and coverage singles out the trout for praise. Diners also often recommend the Hakka stir-fry and bamboo shoot dishes.

Praise centres on authentic Hakka home cooking, flexible set menus that even two people can order, fair prices and an old-street atmosphere, making it a good first taste of Hakka food. Critics feel the dishes are too homely and lack a standout, that its fame outstrips the food, and that service is ordinary, with staff not very attentive when busy.

According to online listings, it mostly serves lunch only on weekdays, roughly 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., extending to 7 p.m. at weekends, and closes on some weekdays; sources disagree, so check before going. The old street is crowded at weekends, so arrive early for lunch or phone ahead. Parking near the old street is difficult, so use a car park on the edge and walk in.

Ideal for families and friends visiting Nanzhuang Old Street who want to cover the classic Hakka dishes in one set meal. Two people can simply order the two-person set; bigger groups choose by headcount and add a trout dish. Afterwards, wander into Osmanthus Lane for osmanthus syrup or osmanthus rice balls as dessert.