Guangxi · noodle
Snail Rice Noodles (Luosifen)
螺蛳粉 · Luósīfěn
Liuzhou's signature noodle — rice noodles in a fermented-bamboo-and-snail-broth, intensely sour-spicy. Notoriously pungent.
Luosifen is the signature noodle of Liuzhou in Guangxi. Round rice noodles are served in a broth made from river snails simmered with pickled bamboo shoots (suan sun) — the bamboo gives the broth a powerful, polarising sour-fermented aroma. Topped with peanuts, fried tofu skin, pickled long-bean, dried turnip, chilli and coriander. Has become a national instant-noodle phenomenon in the late 2010s, with packet luosifen sold across China and exported globally.
Where to try
Liuzhou: any noodle shop. Outside Guangxi: instant-noodle versions widely available; some specialist shops in tier-1 cities.
Dietary notes
Rice (gluten-free), shellfish (snail), peanuts. Strongly fermented.
Other south dishes
- Beef Chow Fun干炒牛河
Flat rice noodles dry-fried with silky marinated beef, beansprouts and spring onion over a fierce wok flame.
- Beef Chow Fun干炒牛河
Stir-fried wide flat rice noodles with sliced beef, scallion, bean sprouts and a smoky wok-hei flavour.
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall佛跳墙
Fujian's banquet centrepiece — a slow-simmered soup of dried abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, ham and 20+ other ingredients.
- Cantonese Roast Goose烧鹅
Whole goose roasted to crisp-skinned tenderness. The most prized of the Cantonese siu mei roasted meats.