Today, the TeachDiscoverChina team is giving you a special taste of some traditional Sichuan snacks. Right in the city centre of Chengdu is Lan Kwai Fong, a great entertainment and lifestyle hotspot with plenty of great restaurants. We’ve been to one restaurant twice and this is a restaurant that will not only satisfy your taste buds but the prices will make you want to come again. The restaurant is called TianFu Zhanggui (天府掌柜) and it’s located on Jinguanyi Street, Jingjiang District, close by to the Shangri-La Hotel.
The interior of the restaurant is nicely spaced with open floor plan of seats and tables so you can choose according to your preference. But if you want a private space to eat and chat with your family and friends, you can choose one of the rooms on the second floor. You should definitely give this fancy restaurant a try in Chengdu if you’d like to try some traditional Sichuan snacks.
I’m hungry. Let’s see what dishes we’d recommend.
1. Tianfu Pandas (天府熊猫)
The first thing we’d tell you to do is try eating some panda. No, we’re only joking. But seriously pandas are the symbol of Chengdu as the city is the hometown of these cute adorable animals, and you’ll often see these animals around in different forms. So what we’d definitely recommend is trying this delicious dessert which is designed like a panda with a creamy mango filling inside. It’s a pure delight!
2. Sweet Water Noodles（甜水面）
The English translation of this famous Sichuan specialty snack is ‘sweet water noodles’ precisely because of how sweet and juicy it is. As you can see, the noodles are thicker than what we usually eat and usually appear as one long string in a bowl with a special sweet, spicy and nutty sauce filled with aromas of crushed peanuts, Sichuan Peppercorns, seasoned with red chilli oil, soy sauce, seasame paste, and mashed garlic. It’s a pleasure to chew these thick noodles and savour the juicy flavours. This is definitely one of my favourite dishes.
3. Tangyouguozi（糖油果子）
Now onto one of the more traditional snacks in Chengdu. When in Chengdu, it’s a must try! These sweet rice balls are made from glutinous rice and brown sugar with a sprinkle of white sesame seed coating. Then it’s threaded with bamboo skewers and ready to be eaten. It’s crispy on the outside and sticky on the inside - sweet and delicious. One skewer has about four or five balls and costs only about 3-to-5 RMB on the street. Not bad for snacking whilst travelling the sites of the city.
4. Bobo’s Chicken（钵钵鸡）
It wouldn’t be Sichuan without some spicy spicy food. That’s what our next dish is for – Bobo Chicken. This is traditional Han food of Chengdu, Sichuan. It has a history of hundreds of years since the Qing Dynasty. You might be wondering where the name of the dish comes from, well ‘Bobo’ actually refers to the crockpot that is traditionally used. A variety of meat and vegetables on bamboo skewers is chosen then placed in the pot and soaked in the sauce. It’s very convenient to eat. Typically the sauce is extremely spicy however there are lighter varieties of the sauce if spicy is not your thing.
5. Egg-baked Pancake (蛋烘糕)
Another very popular Chengdu snack is the very savoury egg-baked pancake, usually you will see these sold on the streets. Eggs are mixed with flour and other ingredients, fried into a round shape, and folded into a semi-circle with a variety of filling inside. Common fillings include jam, meat and floss.
Are you full yet? If not, there’s plenty more delicious traditional Sichuan cuisine waiting for you. If you’d like to try some whilst teaching English in China, join our program, and experience the wonderful culinary delights this special place has to offer. Find the perfect teaching placement for you via the following link: https://www.teachdiscoverchina.com/index.php?m=&c=jobs&a=jobs_list
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the saying: ‘Chengdu is a city you don’t want to leave when you come.’
This saying owes to many things and one of them is definitely the amazing food in the city. If you have any questions about teaching, working or living in Sichuan, feel free to send an email to [email protected]
