1. A few words about Chengdu culinary culture

Chengdu - the first culinary city recognized by UNESCO, is famous for its dishes that are not only eye-catching in appearance but also have a strong, spicy flavor that stimulates all the senses.

Chengdu cuisine has the characteristic spicy flavor of Sichuan cuisine.

The most popular dishes are noodles, dumplings, cakes, dumplings, salads and soups. Diners will have the opportunity to enjoy the attractive flavors of Chengdu cuisine from street stalls to fine restaurants.

2. Discover 9 famous dishes of Chengdu cuisine

2.1. Hot Sichuan Hot Pot - An Iconic Dish

Chinese Sichuan Hot Pot is a harmonious combination of many ingredients such as star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and chili, creating a spicy and aromatic flavor. The spicy taste of this dish has a characteristic tingling sensation on the tip of the tongue, ensuring that you will remember it forever after eating it once. Besides the tingling spicy taste, the hot pot broth made from chicken and pork bones will also add a natural sweetness to the hot pot, making it unforgettable. When combined with the fresh, sweet, and crunchy taste of seafood and meat, it will enhance the delicious flavor of the famous Chinese Sichuan Hot Pot.

Sichuan hot pot is an iconic dish that you cannot miss when coming to Chengdu.

2.2. Feel the soft, chewy noodles mixed with the spicy, salty sauce of Dandan Noodles

Dan Dan noodles are a classic street food that clearly represents the culinary culture of Chengdu. In Chinese, people call this noodle dish 担担面 - đàndànmiàn /dan-dan-myen/. The noodles are made from white flour, rolled thinly and cut into long strands with a knife, and are prepared fresh for consumption on the same day. Besides the typical noodles, Dan Dan is also served with a variety of toppings such as minced meat, chopped vegetables, chili oil, etc., combined with a rich spicy sauce to create an irresistible delicious flavor.

2.3. Wow with Kung Pao Chicken Balls with spices

Chinese dishes must include Kung Pao Chicken Balls - a very attractive Chengdu dish. Chicken is cut into bite-sized cubes. Then this meat is fried with dried chili, ginger and peanuts until golden brown, served with a little green onion. The original Kung Pao Chicken Balls will have a characteristic spicy flavor. So if you are not used to spicy food, please note that the owner will reduce the chili to suit your personal taste.

Kung Pao Chicken Balls are also a signature dish that you cannot miss when coming to Chengdu.

2.4. Try out the "dragon claw" wonton

Chengdu Wonton is transliterated as /lóngchāoshǒu/ in Chinese - meaning dragon claw. The main characteristics of this dish are the thin flour crust, delicious filling and sweet soup. People compare the crust of "dragon claw" wonton to "thin as paper, smooth as silk" thanks to the rubbing process that creates translucent skin pieces. Inside the crust is the minced pork filling mixed with cabbage and spices. Each wonton becomes more delicious and flavorful when eaten with the sweet broth simmered from bones for many hours, shimmering and fatty, making diners remember it forever.

2.5. Fragrant, smooth, fatty Ma Ba tofu combined with rich sauce

This is a Chengdu dish that is very famous among foreign tourists. Therefore, when coming to Chengdu, you must try it once. Ma Po tofu is special because of the harmonious blend of smooth, fatty tofu and rich, thick sauce. To get the standard Ma Po tofu, the ingredient must be smooth, white, fatty tofu that melts in your mouth. The essence of this dish is the sauce made from minced pork (or beef) stir-fried with jicama, onions, peas, wood ear mushrooms, soy sauce, chili powder, etc. Tapioca starch is also added to make the sauce smoother.

Ma Ba Tofu has a harmonious blend of soft, fragrant tofu and rich sauce.

2.6. Fill your heart with the "husband and wife love" with Fuqi Feipian's husband and wife lungs dish

This dish is usually made from pork lungs (some people will use beef lungs) cut into bite-sized pieces, mixed with some spices and herbs such as green onions, roasted peanuts, and coriander to bring out the delicious flavor.

The name of this dish, which sounds very sentimental, comes from the legend of a couple. This dish, although simple, surprises many foreign guests because of its easy-to-eat and attractive flavor. The crispy and chewy lung pieces combined with the fragrant spices and the rich taste of peanuts will surely satisfy you from the first time.

2.7. Fragrant skewers on the streets of Chengdu

Talking about Sichuan and Chengdu cuisine without mentioning skewers is a big mistake. In Chinese culture, fragrant and hot skewers are a characteristic of street food. From street stalls to luxury restaurants, you can easily find this irresistible traditional dish everywhere, from grilled skewers, fried skewers to hot pot. The accompanying ingredients are also extremely diverse with a full range of vegetables. After enjoying the hot skewers, you can have dessert with refreshing and sweet fruit skewers.

Skewers are a popular street food in Chengdu that you can't resist.

2.8. Taste the flavor of Chengdu “sandwich” - Guokui Cake

Another unique street food that you should not miss when coming to Chengdu is Guokui. Its shape is quite similar to the cakes in Western cuisine, but this is completely a dish of Chinese cuisine. Guokui is prepared in 2 types: traditional and variant. The traditional type is a crustless grilled meat pie with the main spices being red chili and black pepper, creating the typical spicy taste of Chengdu dishes. The second type is prepared like a Western sandwich but with more oil. With this type, diners can choose savory or sweet dishes. The crust will be made from bread dough with meat or sweet fillings placed inside. After completing the shaping process, Guokui is fried in a pan of oil until the outer layer is golden brown and crispy.

2.9. Spicy dumplings typical of Chengdu

Unlike other places in China, in Chengdu, locals like to prepare dumplings with a distinctive spicy flavor. There are two options: regular dumplings and dumpling soup. The filling of spicy dumplings is made from minced pork mixed with traditional spices such as pepper, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, etc. The outer shell is made from wheat flour. For regular dumplings, each portion will come with a red chili oil sauce with a distinctive spicy and salty flavor, you can add a little sesame oil to enhance the flavor of the dumplings. For dumpling soup, the broth has a sweet taste and is not spicy at all, a favorite choice for diners who cannot eat spicy food.

Spicy dumplings are a specialty of Chengdu. There are two types for you to choose from: regular dumplings and dumpling soup.

3. Where to enjoy Chengdu food?

3.1. Shaxixian Food Street

This is one of the most popular places to eat in Chengdu. The area offers a wide variety of Sichuan cuisine from affordable street stalls to high-end restaurants. If you are looking for light snacks, try the dishes: dandan noodles, guo kui and spicy Chengdu-style dumplings.

3.2. Wuhou Food Street

Wuhou Temple Street is an attractive food and health care complex of Chengdu. The dishes and medicines here are not only delicious and attractive in flavor, but also have high nutritional value, good for your health, helping you to purify your body after enjoying the spicy specialties of Chengdu.

3.3. Jinli Ancient Town

Known as “The Oldest Commercial Street in Sichuan Province”, Jinli Ancient Street is only 350m from Wuhou Temple, making it very convenient to travel. The charm of the ancient street’s cuisine is its diverse and fragrant snacks, surrounded by poetic ancient buildings. Some of the most typical dishes of Jinli Ancient Street are San Da Pao, glutinous rice balls, wontons and Three Kingdoms dishes.

You can both enjoy the bustling atmosphere of Chengdu night market and enjoy the diverse and rich cuisine.

3.4. Wenshuyuan District

Wenshuyuan is famous for its commercial area that blends Sichuan folk culture with Western modernity. However, the area still focuses on developing and preserving the local historical and cultural traditions. There are famous restaurants that have been open for a long time that you should definitely visit, such as Longchaoshou, Zhong's Dumpling and Tofu Restaurant, and Lai's Dumpling Restaurant.

Now are you ready to head to Chengdu to enjoy all the delicious food this place has to offer?

Source: https://www.vietjetair.com/vi/pages/top-9-mon-ngon-noi-tieng-thanh-do-khong-the-bo-lo-1714095919469