Dining in Chengdu, a treat for the taste buds

Chengdu in recent times has consolidated its status as an attraction for tourists, with numerous attractions that make the city a pleasure to explore. The city has also made a name for itself with its varied culinary delicacies. Dining in Chengdu can be divided into three main styles: Sichuan cuisine, hotpot and snack items.

Sichuan cuisine is undoubtedly one of China’s major culinary styles and has gained a strong following in countries abroad as well. This style of cooking is noted for its distinctive flavourings, but it is complex and subtle in addition to being spicy.

Typical Sichuan dishes include Ma Po’s bean curd, composed of bean curd, chili oil and mince; Gong Bao Ji Ding, made of diced chicken, peanuts and hot pepper; Hui Guo Rou Pian, spicy crisp fried pork slices; and Yu Xiang Rou Si , a unique dish which gives shredded pork the flavour of fish.

There are numerous Sichuan style restaurants in Chengdu, such as Chen Ma Po’s Bean Curd Restaurant which specializes in this dish. Other notable Sichuan restaurants are the Piaoxue Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant, the Baguo Biyi, and the Shizilou Restaurant.

Hotpot is possibly the cuisine Chengdu is most readily identified with. Originating from Chongqing, Chengdu hotpot has a character of its own, varying from moderate to spicy, typically featuring several spices. Specialties include such varieties as medical herb hotpot and fish head hotpot. Not to be missed is the Huangcheng Laoma Restaurant, a quintessential hotpot restaurant which also offers spectacular entertainment in the form of shadow play and opera performances. Tanyutou Restaurant has a style all its own, with its specialty, fish head hotpot.

Chengdu’s snack foods are a distinctive feature of the city. Try out Chuan Chuan Xiang, shrimps, sausages, vegetables, and other foods skewered on to a stick of bamboo and cooked in a hotpot. Another unique offering is the Braised Cow Lungs, which is more commonly composed of beef tongue and heart. Don’t miss the Long Wonton, a savoury snack with tender stuffing and a thin skin.

Western food restaurants are well represented in Chengdu, particularly the international chains like KFC, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut.

When selecting a Chengdu hotel the obvious choice is the Millennium Chengdu which offers modern conveniences and lavishly appointed rooms. This excellent hotel Chengdu calls its own never disappoints its guests.