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Steamed sticky rice ball
In the morning, the only food for sale at Aunty Shen's Shunan Restaurant is ci fan tuan (steamed sticky rice balls).
Every day Aunty Shen steams two buckets of red glutinous rice, which is then pounded into dough, shaped into balls, stuffed with sweet or savory filling, dusted with rice flour and steamed.
Originally an imperial court snack, the rice balls became popular with everyone for their variety and creative fillings.
Instead of using the usual sweet fillings such as sesame, sugar and red bean paste, Aunty Shen also stuffs the rice balls with deep-fried dough stick or pickled eggs.
The small restaurant has been open for more than 20 years and many locals grew up eating Aunty Shen's rice balls for breakfast. Every day nearly 1,000 rice balls are sold for around 4.5 yuan (72 US cents) each.
"People who are dedicated to doing one single thing for many years are admirable," says Martin Qian, a 30-something loyal customer. "The smooth, warm and chewy balls are more than food. They evoke many childhood memories."
The rice balls are favorites with workers in nearby office buildings since they provide rice for energy and egg for protein.
Address: 100 Nanyang Rd
Wonton soup and spicy noodles
These are two breakfast favorites at 88-year-old Meixin Snacks on Shaanxi Road N., which serves around 1,000 diners for breakfast and lunch every day. Shanghai and Ningbo dishes are the specialty.
It's not romantic, but it has a warm, homey feel.
The savory dumpling soup for 10 yuan contains pork and mixed greens including shepherd's purse and pork. The soup is very thick. Dumpling skins are smooth and elastic.
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