What are the taste and texture of San Tang Tu, Lao Laifu's signature dish, and can one eat it without aversion to rabbit meat?

Despite its name, San Tang Tu is characterized by a deep and rich broth flavor, similar to beef bone soup, rather than a sour taste. The rabbit meat is soft yet chewy, like fish cake, so you can enjoy it without any aversion to its unique smell or texture.

What are the operating hours of Lao Laifu Jiefangbei branch, and what was the waiting situation like for a visit at 7:30 PM?

Lao Laifu Jiefangbei branch operates from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. When we visited around 7:30 PM, we were seated immediately without any waiting, and the tables were about half-full.

What was the total price when two people ordered various dishes, including San Tang Tu, at Lao Laifu?

Two people ordered a total of six dishes, including a small pot of San Tang Tu, Sticky Rice Duck, Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp, and Egg Fried Rice, for a total of 322 yuan. This amounted to a generous spread, costing around ~$21 per person.

What are the taste and characteristics of Lao Laifu's Sticky Rice Duck and Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp?

The Sticky Rice Duck is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, with sticky rice filling that provides a satisfying texture. The Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp has a distinct garlic aroma and umami flavor, but with almost no stimulating spice notes.

Lao Laifu Chongqing Review 2026: Authentic Santangtu…

Hello everyone, this is Eunsuu!

While preparing for my trip to Chongqing, I used Dianping to search for local culinary gems and stumbled upon an amazing restaurant.

The name prominently displayed on the signboard is Laolaifu (老来福), a specialty restaurant for Santangtu (酸汤兔, sour rabbit soup), which has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

If you're looking for a hearty meal without the intense spice, or if you're a bit hesitant about trying rabbit meat, I'm here to share my honest experience and hopefully help you out!

Contents

1. What Kind of Place is Laolaifu?

2. Our Order and Prices

3. Santangtu: Why It Was the Best Menu Item

4. Glutinous Rice Crispy Duck, Fried Rice, Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp

5. Final Review

1. What Kind of Place is Laolaifu?

The restaurant's name is Laolaifu (老来福), and it's located at Jiefangbei, 98-16 Kaixuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing.

📍Gaode Map (Amap)

Gaode Mapsurl.amap.com

Operating Hours: 09:00-22:00
Address: 重庆市渝中区凯旋路98-16号(next to Kaixuan Bank Building, 5th floor)

The signboard proudly displayed the phrase "Intangible Cultural Heritage," which signifies recognition for traditional cooking methods passed down through generations.

Inside, there was a notice mentioning that the techniques have been passed down for three generations, and with various awards hanging on the walls, it felt more like a place frequented by locals than by tourists.

We visited around 7:30 PM and were seated immediately without any waiting. However, about half the tables were occupied, indicating that it's a popular spot with a steady stream of customers during dinner hours.

The interior had that unique ambiance of a local Chinese restaurant, and with plenty of tables, it wasn't a small establishment at all.

As soon as we sat down, they served us tea, but the first sip was quite bitter. It tasted a bit like cold medicine, which caught me off guard!

Realizing we barely spoke any Chinese, the staff kindly used a translator to explain each menu item to us. It made ordering incredibly easy and stress-free, despite the language barrier!

2. Our Order and Prices

Before even arriving, we had already researched some famous dishes. And just in case our palates weren't quite ready for everything, we also ordered some universally loved egg fried rice and garlic vermicelli shrimp!

Menu Item	Quantity	Price
Egg Fried Rice (蛋炒饭, Dànchǎofàn)	1	18 yuan
Chilled Plum Drink (冰镇酸梅汤, Bīngzhèn Suānméitāng)	1	20 yuan
Hot Pot Soul Dipping Sauce (汤锅灵魂蘸碟, Tāngguō Línghún Zhàndié)	2	10 yuan
Laolaifu Sour Rabbit Soup (Small Pot) (老来福酸汤兔汤锅, Lǎoláifú Suāntāngtù Tāngguō)	1	148 yuan
Glutinous Rice Crispy Duck (糯米香酥鸭, Nuòmǐ Xiāngsū Yā)	1	58 yuan
Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp (蒜蓉粉丝开边虾, Suànróng Fěnsī Kāibiān Xiā)	1	68 yuan

Two of us visited and were seated at a four-person table. We ordered the menu items below, totaling 322 yuan.

Even though we ordered quite a bit, it came out to around ~$21 per person, making for a very generous spread for two people.

3. Santangtu: Why It Was the Best Menu Item

At first, the visual impact was quite striking to me. I knew what to expect when I ordered it, but I admit I was a bit flustered. A staff member kindly explained how to eat it right beside me, which was really thoughtful.

For someone like me who thought all Chongqing food was spicy, this restaurant's signature San Tang Tu dish completely shattered that notion from the very first bite.

If you go by the name, you'd expect a strong sour flavor, but when I actually tasted it, I was greeted with a deep, rich broth that reminded me more of a long-simmered beef bone soup than anything sour.

I worried that the rabbit meat might have a peculiar smell or an unpleasant texture, but to my delight, it was incredibly soft yet chewy, much like a fish cake, and I had absolutely no aversion to it.

Dipping the meat in the accompanying sauce elevated its flavor even further, and adding the chili from the sauce truly doubled the umami!

4. Glutinous Rice Duck Fritter · Fried Rice · Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp

The Glutinous Rice Duck Fritter smelled absolutely divine from the moment it arrived. Dipping it in the cumin (ziran) that came with it made it even more delicious.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it felt like enjoying a gourmet tonkatsu, and with glutinous rice inside, each bite offered a satisfyingly hearty texture.

The egg fried rice was a faithful rendition of classic Chinese fried rice, making it perfect for cleansing the palate between other dishes.

The Garlic Vermicelli Shrimp definitely delivered on garlic aroma and umami, yet there was hardly any overpowering spice sensation across all the dishes, so I think even those sensitive to strong spices can enjoy it comfortably.

5. Final Thoughts

While Chongqing often brings to mind spicy dishes, Laolaifu offered a delightful alternative with its San Tang Tu, a non-spicy dish that nonetheless boasts incredible depth of flavor.

If you're hesitant about trying rabbit meat, remember its fish-cake-like texture and perhaps give it a try – you might be pleasantly surprised!

We were able to enjoy our meal leisurely, even during dinner hours, without any waiting. Combined with the awards displayed throughout the restaurant and the friendly service, I left with a strong impression that this is a true local favorite, highly acclaimed by residents rather than just tourists.

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