2020 Chengdu Latest and Most Comprehensive Travel Guide (Unlocking Chengdu Culture), Recommended Hotel in Chengdu--Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch)
I fell in love with Chengdu, this city, for no other reason than its dazzling cuisine. Just thinking of a pot of red broth, the image of Chengdu immediately comes to mind, a timeless food label deeply etched into this enchanting city.
Departure: Chongqing -- Chengdu
Check-in: Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch)
Lunch: Yufu Yuzai
Attractions: Sichuan University, Wangjiang Park
Dinner: Chengdu Chike
Check-in: Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch)
Lunch: Mabianbian
Attractions: Kuanzhai Alley
Dinner: De Jin Er Braised Meat Skewers
Check-in: Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch)
Lunch: Ji Yu (Taikoo Li Branch)
Attractions: Taikoo Li
Return: Chengdu to Guangzhou
Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch)
It is very convenient to travel from Chongqing to Chengdu. Trains from Chongqing West and Chongqing North to Chengdu East run several times every hour, freely available, and the journey takes less than 2 hours, very convenient. Arriving at Chengdu East Station in the evening, I chose the Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch) without hesitation, as it is a courtyard-style hotel I stayed at last year.
Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel is located in the city center—No. 130 Shaanxi Street, southwest of Tianfu Square, about 930 meters from Metro Line 1 and 2, about 327 meters from People's Park, about 350 meters from the famous He Ming Old Tea House (inside People's Park), about 290 meters from the Trotter Food Street, about 1.3 kilometers from Kuanzhai Alley, about 1.8 kilometers from Wuhou Shrine Jinli, about 1.6 kilometers from Chunxi Road, and about 2.5 kilometers from Taikoo Li. The location is excellent with convenient transportation. Nearby are educational institutions, key schools, high-end businesses, and office buildings, including the Education Department, Human Resources and Social Security Department, Public Security Department, Shishi Middle School, City Heart, Renhe Spring, etc., all within walking distance.
The original wood simple design, with a warm purple-gray color scheme, makes the room especially comfortable. Chengdu Ximu Shanju Hotel (Shaanxi Street Branch) has always offered great value, so checking in was very easy. This time, I booked their Ginkgo Garden King Room.
Yufu Yuzai Cobblestone Hotpot
Located near Xin Nan Men Metro Station, just tens of meters from a variety of delicious foods!
It's said that a new Yufu Yuzai has opened, specializing in cobblestone fish hotpot. Good fish is scalded to eat, original and fresh, the more you scald, the fresher. Starting the Chengdu food tour from here!
Classic red pot, traditional pickled vegetable pot, lemon and ginger pot—three flavors to choose from. If you want to gradually experience Sichuan spiciness in Chengdu, I suggest choosing the lemon and ginger pot like I did. There is a large fish tank at the entrance of Yufu Yuzai, where silver carp, long-snout catfish, bare-spot fish, native phoenix fish, and red sand fish are raised separately. Fresh seafood is ordered and slaughtered on the spot, so you taste the freshest flavors.
Long-snout catfish has no bones, suitable for all ages, and pairs perfectly with the lemon and ginger pot. After the round stones are heated, the soup is freshly hot, the fish meat is extremely tender, and the soup is delicious. With Yufu Yuzai's special fish dipping sauce, my taste buds can't handle this surprise!
Yufu Yuzai also has several cold dishes worth recommending, such as fried small river shrimp. These are wild small river shrimp, sweet and tiny, crispy and delicious after frying, perfect with drinks! Farmhouse cold jelly noodles are generously portioned, sour and spicy, and one person can finish a whole plate! For snacks, you can choose crispy pork. This authentic Chengdu street food, made in every household, must be freshly fried to be tasty!
Then have two special drinks—the lactic acid flavored "Hongyun Jinli" and the sparkling fruit drink "Mei Fei Se Wu". Not only are they visually stunning, but they also offer a refreshing summer coolness—simply too delicious!
Sichuan University Wangjiang Campus
After dinner, I strolled casually along the streets and accidentally ended up at the gate of Sichuan University. I had heard a lot about Sichuan University, and I was very happy to see it in person today. Walking through the alleys of Sichuan University, scenes of campus life reappeared before my eyes. For someone who left school many years ago, returning to campus stirred many emotions.
On a small path next to the sports field, there were bright flowers in full bloom. Occasionally, a few people passed by, and a quick photo turned out to be a very nice picture.
After a few turns, I arrived at a lotus pond, where many elementary school students had gathered for sketching. Under the guidance of parents and teachers, the students outlined their beautiful pictures, with blooming lotus flowers vividly appearing on paper.
Parks are the best places to experience the slow life of Chengdu people. At any time, the parks in Chengdu are filled with people in waves—singing, dancing, calligraphy, fitness—every lifestyle in the park can be found here.
The retired life of uncles and aunties is indeed very rich. The Wangjiang Folk Music Ensemble is meticulously equipped, with everything from blowing instruments to string instruments, singing to performing. But the most eye-catching is the uncle dancing to the music, following any rhythm with a seemingly difficult dance move.
Among the crowd, a young person was also wielding a brush, his calligraphy skills impressive, effortlessly switching between various scripts. Young people with such hobbies are becoming increasingly rare nowadays!
Chengdu Chike (Zhimin Road Branch)
Chengdu Chike is very popular in Chengdu. I experienced its charm last year.
When we arrived, there were still many diners waiting for seats. With a simple yet stylish decoration, Chengdu Chike was bustling with business.
Tremella and pear soup, old Chengdu sugar oil fruit, special sweet and sour spare ribs, baked fresh abalone in paper, naked shrimp skewers... I almost ordered all the non-spicy signature dishes on the menu! Plus the dishes I had last year that were delicious, we were stuffed! Compared to Guangzhou, the prices in Chengdu are very cheap, less than 100 yuan per person!
Naked shrimp skewers are a ceremonial dish. "Naked" means the shrimp are peeled and skewered on bamboo sticks. When served, the waiter pours hot oil over them to cook the shrimp. The texture is tender and oily. My husband loved this dish and ate it until it was all gone.
Combining skewers, Chinese food, and barbecue, you get a unique grilled fish fillet. One pot gives you hotpot, barbecue, and skewer flavors. The catfish is tender and fatty, spicy and flavorful. The side dish uses pineapple to cut the grease and spiciness, and different fruits or vegetables are chosen according to the season, ensuring fresh and varied flavors all year round.
Baked fresh abalone in paper looks stunning. Eight large fresh abalones are fragrant and delicious, paired with plenty of noodles, very appetizing.
Mabianbian Malatang (Zhimin Road Branch)
Mabianbian is also located on Zhimin Road, with a unique rugged atmosphere and distinctive charm.
The retro decoration makes you fall in love at first sight, as if returning to the streets of 1980s Chengdu. The old street stalls in Chengdu were just as interesting. Mabianbian has thoughtfully brought in "street lamps" and painted retro murals on the walls. The enthusiastic service staff gives the illusion of going back to the 1980s. Small tables and small stools are not very comfortable, but this street style instantly brings us, who are deep in city life and busy day and night, back to childhood.
At Mabianbian, you can choose traditional pot or classic pot and dipping sauce according to the spiciness level. Hot dishes and cold dishes are ordered separately, while skewers are picked from the cold cabinet according to personal preference. There is a wide variety of meat and vegetarian ingredients, dazzling the eyes. I want to put them all in my stomach! The dipping sauce comes in dry and wet forms, allowing you to choose the flavor according to your taste.
I particularly like chicken skin—smooth, sweet, and fatty. The longer it is boiled, the more its fat is released, making it tastier; quail eggs are also delicious. They don't fully absorb the red broth essence but are mildly spicy and numbing, just right.
Eating skewers is a unique experience. Although the price is very low, you can taste the city's sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy flavors, the street food culture. "Eating skewers" not only satisfies cravings but also narrows the distance between Chengdu people and diners.
Kuanzhai Alley is a must-visit attraction every time I go to Chengdu. I just go there to see the crowds and the familiar streets. Whether you are a post-00s or post-70s tourist, there is scenery here that fascinates you.
Compared to Jinli, Kuanzhai Alley has more ease and charm. The design style is grand and magnificent, with every brick and tile full of artistic atmosphere. Some people like the colorful aspects here, while others, like me, prefer the black-and-white contrasts. Amid the bustling crowd, you can understand your own heart.
De Jin Er Braised Meat Skewers (Xiangshulin Branch)
De Jin Er Braised Meat Skewers is a barbecue restaurant, always busy with a very lively business. Before entering, you can already smell the aroma of roasted meat, especially tempting at mealtime.
We chose two special cold dishes: hanging potato shreds and pickled chicken feet. Both are visually appealing cold dishes. The potato shreds are cut into long thin shapes, hung on a small wooden rack, with a sour and appetizing taste; the pickled chicken feet are equally sour and spicy, perfect with some wine!
The variety of braised meat skewers is extensive, mainly beef, lamb, and seafood. The signature lamb all comes from Inner Mongolia, so it is particularly gamey. We ordered sizzling lamb chops, finger-licking ribs, De Jin Er tender meat, black pepper beef ribs, honey-glazed pork ribs, grilled chicken wings, Thai tiger prawns, teriyaki chicken thigh with green onions, etc., satisfying all meat lovers' desires at once!
The meat is grilled to an appetizing color, with rich meat juices and oil. One bite releases a burst of meat juice, truly unique.
Unlike other barbecue restaurants, here the meat is grilled first and then served to diners, so you need to be patient. But waiting isn't necessarily a bad thing—if the barbecue weren't made to order, why would you need to wait?
Ji Yu Thai Seafood Hotpot (Taikoo Li Branch)
Ji Yu Thai Seafood Hotpot in Taikoo Li is still a top-notch internet-famous restaurant. It is said to have set a new single-day record for hotpot queues—3,079 tables! Since its opening, "no empty seat" is far from enough to describe its popularity! Throughout the day, the entrance is full of diners queuing, waiting and waiting! Ji Yu has become so popular that all its branches nationwide are equally successful, with business that makes others envious!
The location is super advantageous, situated in the Taikoo Li area, a must-visit in Chengdu. Where luxury and luxury brands gather, there is inevitably trendy food from all over. The decoration style has an Instagram-worthy vibe, with greenery filling the space while being fresh. Every corner is perfect for selfies, without losing its charm.
The signature fresh-ingredient Tom Yum Kung pot is unbeatable with seafood, sour and spicy, bold and flavorful. The set meal chosen according to the number of people features seafood as the main highlight, with great value. The seafood boat composed of oysters, shellfish, fish fillets, etc., is stunning; abalone, crab, and prawns are my favorites. The staff even peels the shrimp for guests, very professional. The shrimp and abalone here are alive, and the signature fresh-ingredient Tom Yum Kung pot is incredibly delicious, with endless flavor!
Then order a serving of signature curry shrimp, a few specialty drinks, and you'll instantly feel like you're in Southeast Asia! The best part is free desserts for unlimited refills: rabbit pudding, preserved plum jelly, strawberry tremella soup, cookies, corn crisps, mousse cake, yogurt, shrimp crackers... So abundant!
Chengdu Yuan Yang Taikoo Li
Taikoo Li is different by day and night. During the day, it is extremely lively, with crowds surging as if igniting Chengdu, the fashion capital. At night, the scenery is particularly charming, and everyone adores the leisure and beauty here.
Taikoo Li under neon lights has a different fantasy and temptation. Every tourist visiting Chengdu is enchanted and captivated! International first- and second-tier brands have settled here, trendy brands are everywhere. Not to mention photographers, even ordinary passersby can take stunning photos effortlessly.
