Take a nap hotel

The owner’s collection of souvenirs from her trips around the world gives this spacious dining room an endearing quirkiness. Her wanderlust also translates into her quest for quality ingredients from around the globe, to be cooked in an authentic Sichuanese style. Roast pigeon smoked with Sichuan pepper leaves is simply unmissable. Cold appetisers like lamp-shadow sliced grass carp are also well made. You can opt for half portion for some dishes.

The playful, vintage décor with fake tree trunks and red lanterns is aptly matched by a menu disguised as a martial arts instruction book. In addition to famous Sichuanese wok-fried dishes such as green chilli ‘ruthless’ chicken and braised swamp eel, we also recommend the daily specials up on the whiteboard. Seasonal offerings like bitter bamboo shoot and milk cap mushroom are worth a try. Inevitably packed to the seams, book ahead and arrive early.

The young chef from Chaoshan region opened this cosy joint after working in some upmarket eateries. The room is decorated with wooden moulds for making stuffed dumplings, alongside coffee table books on Chaoshan cooking. The menu spins with the season, but staples such as marinated goose and the catch of the day like steamed silver whiting with chicken broth, are always on the menu. Make sure you book and pre-order your food.

After a recent renovation, the main dining room is bright and airy and private rooms can cater to different party sizes. The signature braised fish in spicy bean sauce is made with the river fish of your choice, like longsnout catfish, marble goby or topmouth culter. The rabbit cubes in guaiwei sauce are skin-on, boasting a silky texture and a fine balance between savoury, sweet and sour notes, alongside aromas and numbing spiciness.

In 2021, the Hongkong owner opened Nan’s Gourmet at this dining hub. In the F&B business for over 40 years, he convened a kitchen team of mostly Guangdong natives to capture the essence of Cantonese cooking. The menu features classics like dim sum, Cantonese barbecues, double-boiled soups and sizzling claypot dishes. Try the steamed pork patty with sweet dried cabbage – the springy half-fatty pork in a briny-sweet seasoning is simply addictive.

The culinary score offers novel twists on Sichuanese cooking. The dishes taste authentic, but also explore dimensions that differ from typical Sichuanese fare. The plating is minimalistic and contemporary. Try kung pao bird’s nest inspired by the 24 taste profiles of Sichuanese cuisine – velvety bird’s nest enrobed in a crunchy shell of kung pao sauce. White ferula mushroom and abalone are laced in Sichuan pepper oil loaded in numbing goodness.

The Taiwanese vegetarian restaurant chain chose a verdant location by the river for their first outpost in mainland China. The lofty interior is inspired by Japanese Zen Buddhism, imparting a calming vibe. Three set menus are offered, with thoughtfully named and meticulously plated courses inspired by kaiseki cuisine. Vegetables and mushrooms take pride of place on the menus; some dishes are given a Sichuanese twist with mala seasoning.