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In Chengdu, hotpot is easy to find. A walk down just about any street will turn up at least one restaurant serving this local specialty: a boiling vat of chili oil, red peppers, and mouth-numbing spices into which you dip duck intestines, beef tripe, chicken livers, or (for the less adventurous) bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Hotpot restaurants tend to be open-air affairs, often spilling out onto the sidewalk.
Eat like a local at Hong Xing, where Sichuan cuisine is done consistently well. Favorites on offer include eggplant with garlic and ginger, pork with peanuts and peppers, or the house signature dish called Hong Xing Ji, which is tender bits of chicken floating in a sea of sesame oil topped with peanuts and mouth-numbing pebbles of Sichuan peppercorns. There are lots of unique vegetarian options, including shredded white bamboo.
Run by artists, this amazing restaurant occupies a massive brick-and-stone building with sculpted pillars flanking either side and a facade depicting scenes from old Chengdu. The hotpot comes in the traditional spicy varieties, as well as a qing tang, or "soft soup," style without the spices. You can also opt for those prepared with wild mushrooms or seafood. There are often photo exhibitions from local artists. The top floor is a high-end teahouse and a performance space.
Just a couple of blocks southwest from the American Consulate and across the street from the Bookworm Cafe, this northern Indian restaurant serves Chengdu's best Indian fare. The decor, a sophisticated combination of wood and mirrors, makes a meal here seem like a special occasion. Tandoor is named after the traditional clay oven used in India, so it's no surprise the grilled meats and chicken are consistently tender and delicious.
