Noodles with Quick-Fried Eel Shreds and Shelled Shrimps

Of all those famous noodles of the Kuiyuan Restaurant, Noodles with Quick-Fried Eel Shreds and Shelled Shrimps is the most popular. It features tender shrimps, crispy eel shreds, springy noodles, and palatable chicken soup.

Its origin can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty (the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912). It’s said that back then the Qiantang River was rich in eels, but shrimps were rare. Hence, shrimps were in great demand while eels were not. In order to sell out the relatively unpopular eels, fishermen started to sell shrimps and eels as a package. The Kuiyuan Restaurant used to cook noodles with shrimps. As a result of fishermen’s package deal, the restaurant changed the recipe for its old shrimp noodles by adding eels to it. It turned out that noodles with both shrimps and eels tasted even better. Gradually, the noodle dish came into shape and was widely favored.