Chengdu - Eating
It is said that “chi zai zhong guo, wei zai si chuan” - when eating in China, the flavour is in Sichuan. This makes the provincial capital Chengdu the best place to have good Chinese food. Sichuanese cuisine is known for being numbingly hot. However, its flavours can be rather complex and it is possible to have 100 different tasting dishes. Chengdu natives are gourmets, they discuss cuisine, talk about the new dishes of a certain restaurant, enjoy the hotpots, snacks, Sichuan dishes and the international cuisines every day. Most restaurants in Chengdu are open until 21:30
Huangcheng Laoma Hot Pot
Sitting at a private hot pot, the convey belt brings the ingredients. This is what you find at the first floor of the Huangcheng Laoma’s buffet. The second floor is another world each room has a strong atmosphere of old Chengdu with the luxurious decorations. It is a gastronomical experience accentuated by the city’s cultural riches.
Gingko
This top-notch restaurant serves a variety of Sichuan, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean food.
Daronghe Restaurant
A deluxe restaurant with diversified Sichuan dishes to satisfy both natives and curious outsiders. Their famous dishes are Kai Men Hong, Shuang Kou Mu’er and Cong Jiao Ji (stir-fried chicken with scallion and pepper).
Shunxing Ancient Tea-house
This is a country-yard-like restaurant known for its snacks. It is a place to experience a bygone era - drinking tea, having snacks and Sichuanese dishes and watching folk shows like face changing which is a dying art worth watching.
Qinshanzhai Restaurant
Qingshanzhai offers an alternative to the typical Sichuanese. The dishes here use Chinese herbs and is both nutritious and easy on the palate. The restaurant is a sea of tranquillity with waterscapes and bridges.
Grandma’s Kitchen
One of the first restaurants to serve western food in Chengdu. Its owner is a foreigner who has recreated cozy home-style cooking. Recommended are the roast potatoes and cheese pizzas.
Three Ears Hot Pot
A trip to Chengdu is not complete without a tasting of hot pot. The highlight here is the fish hot pot. The appetizing smell and tender fish slices are sure to stimulate the taste buds. Be prepared to stand in line for a table.
Liao’s Ban-ban Chicken
A famous native chain-store that can be seen everywhere. Its tossed and pot-braised dishes are extremely popular. Most popular are the delicious Bon-Bon chicken, pickled boneless claw and tossed rabbit.
