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This thread isn’t for Sichuan cuisine but non-Chinese food in Chengdu.
I know everyone is saying food is great in Sichuan but firstly, my tolerance to spice is very low and secondly, I currently live in a city where I can eat any cuisine I wish, and with abundant choices at that.
How’s the availability of non-Chinese cuisine in Chengdu nowadays? It doesn’t have to be extremely authentic, as long it’s not overly “localized” it will do. American and Japanese food is fairly easy to get in China but what about European (Sausages/Pasta/Pizza/Fish n Chips), Middle Eastern (Shawarma/Kebab) and Asian (Korean/Thai/Vietnamese/Malaysian)?
How’s the imported goods selection in groceries when compared to let’s say Shanghai or Hong Kong?
For those familiar with Chinese cuisine, is it easy to get food belonging to “lighter” tastes like those from Shanghai/Hong Kong/Fujian/Taiwan? I don’t really like the strong taste of Sichuan/Hunan food.
I’m also concerned about the air quality but I lived in Beijing for almost a year before so this isn’t such a big deal. Food diversity is on top of my list over any other factors.
Not a food-related question. On average, how many days is the sky blue and how many days is it gloomy/smoggy? On a weekly basis or on a monthly basis. Rough estimates will do. Let’s keep it for the year 2015.
I know everyone is saying food is great in Sichuan but firstly, my tolerance to spice is very low and secondly, I currently live in a city where I can eat any cuisine I wish, and with abundant choices at that.
Chengdu is not like that yet. There is much more culinary diversity in Shanghai than in Chengdu, for example.
How’s the availability of non-Chinese cuisine in Chengdu nowadays? It doesn’t have to be extremely authentic, as long it’s not overly “localized” it will do. American and Japanese food is fairly easy to get in China but what about European (Sausages/Pasta/Pizza/Fish n Chips), Middle Eastern (Shawarma/Kebab) and Asian (Korean/Thai/Vietnamese/Malaysian)?
All of those are available in Chengdu, with varying levels of authenticity. Some of it you have to look hard for (like Malaysian) but Korean and Japanese food are common.
How’s the imported goods selection in groceries when compared to let’s say Shanghai or Hong Kong?
Probably similar to Shanghai with less selection. Hong Kong is much more international than anywhere in China.
For those familiar with Chinese cuisine, is it easy to get food belonging to “lighter” tastes like those from Shanghai/Hong Kong/Fujian/Taiwan? I don’t really like the strong taste of Sichuan/Hunan food.
Yes. But most locals would consider those varieties of Chinese food to be inferior. Sichuan food dominates the Chinese food landscape but there are many Hong Kong 茶餐厅 style restaurants nowadays.
I’m also concerned about the air quality but I lived in Beijing for almost a year before so this isn’t such a big deal. Food diversity is on top of my list over any other factors.
Chengdu is probably not the best place for you then. The food here is rightly world famous and Chengdu takes its local food culture seriously. It is not a particular diverse place for food, especially for a city as large as Chengdu is.
Is Chongqing any better when it comes to international food diversity? I can venture there maybe during off days or weekends if there are food worth trying.
I was hoping that it being the year 2015 already and the rapid westernization of China that they can cope up with “foreign” taste by now.
Is Chongqing any better when it comes to international food diversity? I can venture there maybe during off days or weekends if there are food worth trying.
I was hoping that it being the year 2015 already and the rapid westernization of China that they can cope up with “foreign” taste by now.
No, Chongqing is far behind Chengdu as far as internationalization goes. Outside of Sichuan food your options in Chongqing are very slim so you will almost certainly not be visiting that city for diverse food. Since you said you don’t eat spicy food, you will probably not enjoy the food in Chongqing. It is spicier than in Chengdu.
Crap. Sorry for another off-topic question, are US movies dubbed or subbed in Chengdu?
Being landlocked and far from the sea, does it mean sushi/sashimi isn’t very fresh?
Since foreign food is still scarce, will buffets in 5 star hotels be able to “cleanse” my palate every now and then? Are their selections diverse enough?
Crap. Sorry for another off-topic, are US movies dubbed or subbed in Chengdu?
Both are available. It depends on the showing.
Being landlocked and far from the sea, does it mean sushi/sashimi isn’t very fresh?
Since foreign food is still scarce, will buffets in 5 star hotels be able to “cleanse” my palate every now and then? Are their selections diverse enough?
Can I ask what measures you took (and your expat friends as well) in terms of getting food from home and coping with the limited choices in Chengdu?
BTW your insights and patience is very much appreciated. I am very paranoid and picky when it comes to food. Though my stint in Chengdu isn’t sure yet, I want to be prepared for it. And temper my expectations if necessary.
Being landlocked and far from the sea, does it mean sushi/sashimi isn’t very fresh?
Yeah, don’t come here for sushi. China in general does not have great sushi, in my experience.
Since foreign food is still scarce, will buffets in 5 star hotels be able to “cleanse” my palate every now and then? Are their selections diverse enough?
Can I ask what measures you took (and your expat friends as well) in terms of getting food from home and coping with the limited choices in Chengdu?
BTW your insights and patience is very much appreciated. I am very paranoid and picky when it comes to food. Though my stint in Chengdu isn’t sure yet, I want to be prepared for it. And temper my expectations if necessary.
It’s hard to generalize but there are many 5 star hotels in Chengdu with outstanding food. There are some expat eateries in Chengdu but they are pretty niche establishments compared to the thousands of Sichuan food spots in the city. I can tell that you are paranoid and picky, I think enjoying Chengdu will be easier if you have an open mind and try new things. I love spicy food and exploring the local food options is a fun adventure if you allow it to be. On the other hand, come here without an open mind and Chengdu might be difficult for you because it is not like Hong Kong or even Shanghai – by comparison this is the wild west. There is good and bad to that and it’s not for everyone, but for people open to that adventure there are very few places on earth like Chengdu right now.
I am adventurous when it comes to food, albeit too adventurous for my own good. After getting a taste of Ethiopian food in NYC, I just have that urge to seek more “new” tastes out there. I don’t simply eat all sorts of food, I HAVE to eat them every now and then, unless it’s really close to impossible to do again like Ethiopian or Peruvian. When I was in Beijing I even tried Russian cuisine. I love Xinjiang food by the way. This is something I am looking forward to eating again.
When it comes to Chinese food though, my palate is “designed” for Coastal/Southern flavors which is sweet and light. This is because I grew up eating this sort of Chinese food. My friends told me there are a lot of non-spicy Sichuan dishes but I will still need my occasional non-Sichuan fix, something in the line of Bellagio or Crystal Jade. Of course it would be great if I can find non-commercialized versions of them. I have to say Hunan/Sichuan dishes are an acquired taste. My boss is from Hunan and he keeps bringing me to Hunan restaurants here in my country. I’m slowly getting the hang of it but definitely not ready to make it my staple meals.
It’s really funny how divided China is when it comes to food. A particular area will only eat that particular area’s food. Anything else will taste weird or “inferior” to them, most specially foreign cuisine. I work with a lot of Mainland Chinese so I have a very good understanding of them when it comes to food and their intolerance to new tastes. This is where my anxiety stems from. And that one day visit to Chengdu where my tongue got burned so bad…. LOL!
I’m a city kind of person and I live in a very westernized, very culturally diverse city. With the future still uncertain, I’m now trying to psych myself that Chengdu won’t be as bad as I think. I’m praying all those international groceries, Taobao and restaurants like the Iron Grill will be able to keep me sane for a long period of time. Maybe I’ll just have family ship food from home if all else fails.
I would a bit disagree on the comment concerning Chongqing and Chengdu food quality. Even though I admit this is highly subjective so I find food in Chongqing generally better (much better!) than in Chengdu.
I assume it has something in common with the city landscape and peoples attitude towards the life and work.
Even though Chongqing was till 1997 part of Sichuan the people’s behaviour is distinctly different than those in Chengdu. You may immediately realize that the life pace in Chongqing is general faster and more direct than in Chengdu – people are trying hard to succeed.
Also due to the mountain landscape the restaurants are generally closer to each other and therefore directly competing with each other what contributes to better food quality.
Nevertheless it’s fair to say that in Chongqing, similar to Chengdu, you will not be able to enjoy the variety of non Sichuanese food …
On top of that Western food in particular will be quite expensive. Generally in Kempinski there is Paulaner which is in average much better than Chengdu Paulaner and quite OK Thai restaurant.
For sushi you may go to Ying Li in Jiefangbei which is quite OK but I agree with Charlie that in average China does not really offer good sushi and sashimi (I would also agree that you need to really watch out for the quality!). In Ying Li there is also quite good Italian restaurant and as per my opinion the best Beijing duck restaurant in Chongqing and Sichuan :-).
Many Western restaurants are then in Tiandi and Hongyadong. But again – usually quite expensive and the taste differs from the one you are used to in the West.
In general if you really cannot eat spicy food I assume you will either spend quite an amount of money for average food or you will have to cook for yourself.
It will certainly not be an easy life for you in neither Chengdu nor Chongqing …
Thanks for the input. Looking forward to more insights….
By the way, I think the company will be giving a monthly allowance of 1,000USD. I will spend it for my phone, a little transportation (I expect to live walking distance from work), basic commodities, maybe gym membership and of course food. For food I am thinking splitting it up 30% for home cook, 40% local dining and 30% non-Sichuan dining. I don’t drink but I’ll probably do some clubbing every now and then.
I live right above an Ito Yokado as well as an imported goods store. The Ito Yokado has an ok selection of foreign foods. Mainly fish and beef that they sell as well as various cheeses. The Imported goods store is even worse. They don’t have much of anything.
I think the best answer to this question is that you should not get your hopes up. Sichuan people are quite proud of their local food and prefer it over many other things. There are non-spicy dishes such as egg and tomato, apple duck soup, fish flavored eggplant, etc… I would suggest trial and error as different families have different recipes for dishes.
Finally, Korean and Thai food is no problem to find around the city. You can also find a lot of muslim cooked dishes which may be less spicy. As for Vietnamese and other countries go, let me know if you find any. I have yet to locate a Vietnamese noodle place.
Also, spend some time in the Tongzilin neighborhood. There are many western food joints that have made a name for themselves in recent years.
I think enjoying Chengdu will be easier if you have an open mind and try new things
Charlie hit it on the head. This whole thread is kind of silly – good food exists in Chengdu, and if you have survived in another China city and think the food was great, then you’ll likely do fine in Chengdu, or perhaps palate isn’t as refined as you’d have yourself believe. No matter where someone is in the world they’ll crave particular things, probably mostly nostalgic or selective memory, I’ve returned to restaurants that at the time I thought were the best (particular food) I’ve eaten, to find that even though it’s the same owner/chef/staff, it just wasn’t the same. The obvious suggestion for anyone who has such a seeming particular worry about moving to a place is take a trip, visit, find out if it’s survivable, and then determine your life course accordingly rather than expect to get any sort of understanding from a forum about something so subjective as ‘food taste’.
I think what I’m trying to find out is if 2015 (technically 2016) Chengdu can be on the same level as 2010 Beijing/Shanghai in terms of non-local food choices.
Since you guys live there, you can see the trend if the city is moving towards this path or not. Only local residents will know if foreign restaurants are slowly growing in number or more of them are closing down. With Ippudo, Din Tai Fung and Jade Garden opening in Chengdu, I can use this as a rough barometer but of course you guys know the city more.
I find it easy to provide healthy western food for myself using fresh ingredients in local markets coupled with spices that you can buy in a few of the stores aimed at foreigners. You can also buy a few basics of processed foods to provide a few shortcuts. This can be supplemented by the occasional trip to a western style restaurant. Curry, beef burgers and Americanised Mexican food seem well catered for. The top end hotels often have buffets and Café Z has one that combines a range cuisine to try out.
There’s a large Korean population here so the Korean selection authentic with a decent selection.
Sushi here is pretty bad, but edible.
Mexican is passable. Newly opened Panda Libre has Chipotle style burritos that are pretty good.
Malaysian, there’s a restaurant between Iron Pig and Mike’s Pizza in Tongzilin. I haven’t tried it myself, but native Malaysians I’ve met say it’s good.
Vietnamese, there are several newly opened ones. There’s one near the Shangrilah and one in Tai Koo Li. Also DaZhong Dumplings has a great valued Pho.
No decent fish n chips that I know of.
Middle Eastern, there’s that nice one in Yulin. Sultan? Sahara? forgot the name.
Malaysian, there’s a restaurant between Iron Pig and Mike’s Pizza in Tongzilin. I haven’t tried it myself, but native Malaysians I’ve met say it’s good.
The food is pretty good at this place, the Malaysian chef/proprietor is often inside the shop and is a friendly guy.
Vietnamese, there are several newly opened ones. There’s one near the Shangrilah and one in Tai Koo Li. Also DaZhong Dumplings has a great valued Pho.
Dazhong is great, it has good pho and none of the Chinese fanciness of places that normally feature food that exotic. The address and photos are here: Dazhong on Chengdu Places
Middle Eastern, there’s that nice one in Yulin. Sultan? Sahara? forgot the name.
The Sultan is in Yulin, just West of Renmin Nan Lu, and that’s Turkish, but there’s a better place (in my opinion) called Safari on Kehua Zhonglu, just south of Second Ring Road. Here’s the info on Trip Advisor: Safari
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