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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.
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.
All famous Chinese dishes can be found on this restaurant's user-friendly picture menu, from Peking duck to Sichuan numbing peppercorns and chicken. Well, mock chicken, but it tastes so close to real chicken, and sometimes better, even the biggest carnivore would enjoy dining here. Ultraclean and friendly service can be expected. Very creative veggie dishes include a mushroom hotpot and mango mushrooms! It is more of a lunch spot as the atmosphere is simple and no alcohol is served.
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.
