Trip Overview
When: Early June 2020 (peak crayfish season)
Duration: 1 day
Travelers: Couple
Budget: ~90 RMB (~$13 USD) per person
Destination: Changsha (长沙), Hunan Province
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Changsha Huanghua Airport serves domestic flights. High-speed trains from nearby cities arrive at Changsha South Railway Station. Didi (China's Uber) is the easiest way to get around.
Money Matters: Most restaurants in Changsha accept WeChat Pay and Alipay. Bring 100-200 RMB cash for small vendors who prefer mobile payment.
Language: Mandarin is spoken. Local Hunan dialect can be challenging, but restaurant staff in tourist areas speak standard Mandarin.
Why Changsha? This capital of Hunan Province is famous for its spicy cuisine, Mandarin education reform, and—of course—mouth-numbing spice. The city comes alive at night with street food stalls.
The Hunt: Finding the Best Crayfish in Changsha
Early summer has arrived, and despite this being a leap year (extra lunar month), it's already prime crayfish season. Earlier in the month, I accidentally discovered an amazing restaurant—rushed through and didn't get a proper look. So I went back at month's end for a detailed recommendation.
Xu Xia Ke Jianghu Cuisine (徐蝦客江湖菜) is located on Pozi Street (坡子街) in Changsha. As everyone knows, Pozi Street is famous alongside Shanghai's Chenghuang Temple, Nanjing's Confucius Temple, and Suzhou's Guanqian Street as one of China's four great food streets. Hunan's food culture runs deep, and Pozi Street, as the gathering place for Changsha snacks, fully embodies the city's local characteristics and regional culinary style.
这家店已经在这里二十多年了，我与店长聊了几句，才知道这家店的老板很有意思，不仅是长沙第一家开创性做虾尾的，而且老板还是从摆地摊开始的，现如今带了很多的徒弟把店做的越来越好，颇具有传奇性和江湖色彩。
The restaurant has been here for over 20 years. Chatting with the manager, I learned the owner is fascinating—not only did they pioneer crayfish tail dishes in Changsha, but they started from a street stall. Now they've trained many apprentices and built the restaurant into something legendary. Pure江湖 (jianghu—martial arts underworld) vibes.
The Bite: Crayfish That Hits Different
So I ordered the crayfish tails this time. The photos aren't amazing, but the flavor is genuinely incredible. Each crayfish tail is plump, tender, and firm—the meat isn't dry at all. Every tail is slit open and cleaned, soaked in the broth. First, you suck on it, and instantly your taste buds wake up. Highly recommended!
Don't Miss: The Secret Menu Items
Beyond the crayfish, I'm especially obsessed with Xu Xia Ke's pickled cabbage rice noodles (酸包菜粉皮). It's hand-made rice noodles from Yueyang, paired with pickled cabbage—Q-弹 (bouncy and chewy) with a sour, refreshing kick. Add some simple ginger and garlic seasoning, and I could eat three bowls of rice in one sitting. You must try this when you visit.
Mao-style red braised pork (毛氏红烧肉) is another must-recommend. Despite the blanching, deep-frying, and braising process, every bite reflects careful execution—fatty but not greasy, fragrant and delicious. One piece after another is absolutely satisfying. Meat lovers, don't miss this!
The Vibe: Jianghu Atmosphere
Since there were only two of us, we didn't order too much. The portions are generous here, and the dishes are very rice-friendly (meaning they go perfectly with米饭—steamed rice).
The ingredients are presented in a very authentic, downto-earth way.
Finally, let me tell you about the atmosphere here—they've opened the second floor now, so the environment is really nice. The name 徐蝦客 (Xu Xia Ke) immediately sounds full of jianghu (martial arts underworld) flair, and the interior decoration perfectly matches this theme.
The entire environment creates a relaxed, grand feeling. Here you naturally let down your guard, wanting to eat meat greedily, devour crayfish without restraint, and drink wine from big bowls. 'Under heaven's hustle, we meet through crayfish'—isn't that wonderful?
Address & Info
徐蝦客——岳阳江湖菜 (Xu Xia Ke - Yueyang Jianghu Cuisine)
坡子街七号福临阁1楼 (Pozi Street No.7, Fulinge 1st Floor)
Next to Hisense Plaza (海信广场)!
Phone: 0731-84423222