Liuzhou Luosifen

Luosifen is a bowl of rice noodles in a broth simmered from river snails with pork bones and spices, served with pickled bamboo shoot, wood ear, peanuts, fried tofu skin, string beans and a lot of chilli oil. The snails flavour the stock and are not usually in the bowl. Its reputation rests on the smell, which comes from the fermented bamboo shoot and is genuinely powerful, strong enough that instant packets are banned in some offices and dormitories; the taste is sour, savoury and hot rather than pungent. It became a national phenomenon through instant versions in the 2010s, and Liuzhou now produces them by the billion.

What you actually see

• The broth - river snails simmered with pork bones and spice.
• The toppings - pickled bamboo, wood ear, peanuts, tofu skin, beans.
• The smell - the fermented bamboo shoot that made the dish famous.
• The shops - noodle counters throughout Liuzhou.

When to go

Year-round; shops open from morning to late night and the dish is eaten at any hour. Liuzhou summers are hot, which does not deter anyone from a bowl of chilli broth.

Honest expectations

The smell surprises first-timers and puts some off entirely. Heat levels are high by default and worth specifying. Instant packets sold everywhere are not the same as a fresh bowl.

Nearby

Chengyang bridge lies north; Guilin is northeast.