Chongqing - Eating
Pepper and bean paste are two of the key ingredients in Chongqing cuisine. There are different levels of spiciness, but the one that the locals go for is mind-blowingly hot and very appetizing. The concept of a hotpot is such that each dinner group sits together at a table, cooking vegetables and meat in the spicy hot pot of soup that is kept simmering. This communal dining experience has caught on at many places outside Chongqing as well, but it is best sampled in its hometown. Restaurants are usually open until 22:00.
Tongluo Wan Kitchen
Good western cuisine and the steak and soups are highly recommended.
Love 2046
Named after Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai’s famous movie. This establishment has a warm comfortable environment and exotic dishes like the recommended Stewed Snow Clam with Papaya, Spicy Diced Chicken, Baked Eel and the enigmatically named Blue Affection.
Cygnet Restaurant
Created in the Diaojiao Lou architectural style. The comfortable atmosphere, attentive service, hot pots and nice dishes make this restaurant a place where diners like to linger even long for a meal.
Liuyi Shou Maodu Hot Pot
This is a very famous hot pot chain, where authentic Sichuan Hot Pot is served with varieties of dishes. Duck intestines are highly recommended here.
Grandma Bridge
Its interior is inspired by the old street view of Chongqing. The buffet hot pot here has a less spicy taste, with all kinds of vegetables and meat available.
Cuiyun Shuizhu Fish
As the name shows, there are many sorts of fish served here. It is served fresh or cooked with pepper or tomato sauce. The place is always crowded so reservations are highly recommended.
South Mountain Quanshui Chicken Street
The South Mountain Quanshui Chicken has a far-reaching reputation, attracting gourmets from every corner of the world. There’s no menu here the chicken, duck, fish, rabbit, hot dishes and cold dishes are ordered and cooked immediately. For after-dinner entertainment, the one-tree outlook platform is the perfect place to enjoy the night views of Chongqing.
Ken Mei Spicy And Tasty Shrimp
The shrimps here are wrapped with smashed potatoes then deep fried, a truly authentic flavor of Chongqing.
Hao You Lai Hot And Sour Rice Noodles
Hot and Sour Rice Noodles is one of the most famous local snacks. The secret for its mouthwatering taste is not the noodle but rather bewildering flavours making the noodles spicy and quite appetizing. This is the shop most popular with the locals.
Laoma Chaoshou
The so-called "Chao Shou" is a kind of dumpling, slightly larger than the regular ones. “Ma” means numbingly (spicy). The flavours here are graded into micro-Ma, small-Ma, mid-Ma and old-Ma depending on the spicy level. Old-Ma is a challenge, though slightly soothed by the broth which is light and delicious and worth a try.
