Donghai Old Rooster

Donghai Old Rooster

　　Donghai Old Rooster is a specialty dish from Donghai County, Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province. Long renowned, it has become a signature food of Donghai. The dish is made using free-range grass-fed roosters raised on local farms for over two years, cooked with seasonings such as chili peppers, star anise, and cinnamon in a rich, fiery braised sauce. It has a bold, spicy, and mellow flavor, with a tender yet chewy texture, a richly colored broth, and a lingering aftertaste.

　　To enjoy an authentic Donghai Old Rooster, one must visit Nanlin Restaurant in the county town. According to the owner, this dish has been on the menu for nearly 10 years, with a uniquely refined taste and more carefully selected ingredients—especially the chili peppers, which are chosen only from the first harvest before September 1st each year, when they are at their juiciest. Most of the customers are repeat visitors drawn by the Old Rooster, and Nanlin Restaurant also frequently hosts tour groups from all over, accommodating up to nearly 100 diners at a time.