E Hotel-Kuanzhai Alley

For over 20 years, this no-frills restaurant has had a single item on the menu – authentic Chengdu hotpot. Diners have never get bored because of the 18 soup bases and the stunning variety of dipping sauces, meat, offal, and sea and river fish on offer. Don’t miss the pencil-width strips of crisp, juicy Emei eel. The mala soup base is infused with Chinese herbs, perfect for blanching celtuce or pork cracklings. Their appetisers and snacks also hit the spot every time.

The simple shop has little ambiance to speak of, but that hasn't put hungry locals off from flocking here since 1999. In fact, it's the favourite late-night spot for many who come for its famous pork trotter soup – simmered with Chinese herbs for eight hours until the connective tissues are gelatinous and the soup is loaded with collagen. Stir-fries such as spicy chitterlings, and green chilli pig snout fried rice are also brimming with wok hei.

Mapo tofu is a world-famous Sichuanese classic dating back to the Qing Dynasty. Word has it that this century-old shop is the true original source of this numbing, spicy dish, invented by Lady Chen. Silky tofu, ground beef and spices are cooked in a stone pot that stays hot for a long time, perfect with a bowl of steamed rice. Zhong dumplings and lotus leaf-wrapped steamed pork in spiced rice flour are also worth trying.

This ‘hole in the wall’ may lack bells and whistles, but it’s popular with locals. Soup and tossed noodles are divided into 3 trifectas, namely the ‘old’, ‘new’ and ‘more’. Blanched noodles tossed in spicy meat sauce with diced string beans in the ‘old’ category is the most popular item. Feel free to order wontons with chopped chillies on the side. And nothing cools your mouth better than a bowl of tofu dessert with red bean soup.

Set in a delicate stone garden, this restaurant in a quaint building offers private dining rooms only. The kitchen team painstakingly and faithfully revives nostalgic Sichuanese recipes. For example, the cabbage in chicken consommé takes hours to prepare and boasts a rich, crystal clear broth with exceptional depth. Contrasting textures and a tingling sensation depict the mapo tofu with diced beef and fish snout. Delicate service adds to the experience.

This household name located in the old city has been around since 1999. The second-generation owner and the all-Sichuanese team continue to feed diners authentic home-style Sichuan cooking like in the old days. The signature spicy mandarin fish uses a herbal chilli mix with exceptional heat and depth and the fish is flown in daily from Guangdong. The quick-fried pork tripe tip (limited availability) is uniquely satisfying thanks to its springy texture.

Chinese