Keywords: Nanjing cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine, beef potsticker, Yihe Road, Chinese halal cuisine

Being the “first” doesn’t necessarily mean being ranked first, not to mention the subjectivity in everyone’s personal ranking on who’s “first,” but I think only the most audacious soul would dare question Ma Xiangxing’s seminal role in beef potsticker and halal dining in Nanjing.
作为历史上第一家当然不等于是各人眼中排第一的酒家，但我猜应该没几个人会质疑马祥兴的南京牛肉锅贴和清真菜系鼻祖地位。

According to a 2018 article (http://dz.xdkb.net/html/2018-08/01/content_491463.htm) by Nanjing-based newspaper Xiandai Kuaibao, the earliest traceable niurou guotie beef potsticker in Nanjing came from Ma Xiangxing. In 1840 , peasant Ma Sifa fled to Nanjing due to famine in his home of Henan Province, and made a living by selling foods from a small stall near Huashen Temple. The business was passed to this son Ma Shengxiang, eventually developing into present-day Ma Xiangxing.
据一篇来自南京《现代快报》的2018文章，”南京有迹可循的最早的锅贴也是出于此。1840年，原籍河南孟县的农民马思发逃荒至南京，他在花神庙支了个小摊，靠做锅贴和一些便宜饭菜维持生计。后来，马思发把饭摊传给了儿子马盛祥，才有了如今的马祥兴。”

I think the restaurant might not be associated with the founding Ma family anymore, but Ma Xiangxing remains a shining beacon in the eyes of many.
当今的马祥兴貌似曾经易主，跟昔年的马家已经没太大关系，但马祥兴仍旧被广泛认为是南京餐饮界的灯塔。

As for the “first-ranked” potsticker shops in the city, some strong candidates are listed in the Chinese paragraph below.
至于南京牛肉锅贴哪家强，之前研究时发现出现概率较多的字号包括：蒋有记、草桥清真牛肉锅贴扁食店、李记清真馆、绿柳居…

PS: It’s the last video from this Nanjing fall foliage trip, check out the rest of the series to see more of Nanjing’s beautiful sceneries and delicious foods, like this one here featuring the “prettiest 600m in autumn Nanjing” at the Ming Dynasty mausoleum of the Hongwu Emperor and then a meal of duck blood and vermicelli soup https://youtu.be/_KMaQUKs_cY
这是此趟南京秋色之旅的最后一集视频，之前还发布了很多南京的游记食记，比如上段链接的视频，内容包括位于明孝陵的”南京秋天最美600米”，以及火爆得不要不要的鸭血粉丝汤。

Name: 清真马祥兴菜馆
Add.: 云南北路32号 (江苏南京 Nanjing, Jiangsu)
Tel.: 025-83286388
Cost (this meal): RMB 128/p
Price (online info): RMB 68/p

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