Boat Porridge: A Journey to the Origin of Liwan

There is also boat porridge in Hong Kong. In the early years, porridge shops often marked Liwan boat porridge, so I have some fantasies about Liwan! I just know that there are people selling porridge on boats. It seems a bit romantic when I think about it. If there really is a boat selling porridge, the hygiene should be average, and I may not dare to try it!

That day I went to Liwan Museum and took Exit D of Ruyifang Subway Station to Duobao Road. There were many snack shops on the way: rice rolls, barbecued meats, noodles, buns... Most of the shops were small and simple! It looks very authentic... Turning to Longjin Road, I started to see some shops claiming to be time-honored brands, and the stores were relatively large. Maybe I am not from Guangzhou, so I have no idea what they are like. Finally, I arrived at Fengyuan North Street. It was lunch time, and I came across Ming Kee Rice Noodle Rolls. I was attracted by the slogan, "Rice Noodle Rolls that have been made for forty years", "White as snow, skin as thin as paper" 😂

I ordered a bowl of beef and salted egg rice rolls, and also stopped by for Liwan boat porridge. The signature rice roll skin was soft, sticky and smooth, but the boat porridge was average... Maybe because I read some information before, I'm not easily satisfied with what I see!

The flavor of boat porridge comes from the boat. Since it is inconvenient to cook, it is relatively simple. Most of the ingredients are locally available and pre-prepared, and then put into the boiling porridge to cook. The sashimi and ginger and scallions are not cooked, but directly put into the bowl and soaked in the boiling porridge.

Another specialty is the porridge, which is cooked until the rice flowers turn into a paste. It is more like soup than water and can hold a lot of debris.

Nowadays, boat porridge is really popular everywhere, except Liwan, all over the country, the price of a bowl ranges from ten or eight yuan in small shops to dozens of yuan in big hotels. You have to try it yourself to find the taste.

Finally, go to Liwan for a river cruise and imagine the flavor of the porridge you buy on the boat. Another scene that can be imagined is in the basement of Chen Lianbo's residence in the Liwan Museum, an immersive small theater that simulates a boat trip on the long causeway to appreciate the ancient riverside buildings.

Liwan cruise ships run between Liwan Wenta and Yongqingfang, costing about ¥60 per trip. It is best to check for various discounts and sailing times in real time.

Liwan Museum has four halls, and the ticket is ¥5. The immersive experience hall is on the basement floor of Chen Lianbo Mansion.

Post by 如初見 | Mar 28, 2025