The best cure for our mild altitude sickness was two leisurely days of authentic peasant food at Dujiangyan.
Yes, this is Dujiangyan of UNESCO World Heritage fame. Most visitors focus on sights and miss the mouthwatering Sichuanese dishes at this laid-back city, and we almost did the same. We originally planned for just one night to see Mount Qingcheng, and were glad to stay for two and fully appreciate the locals flavors.
After a restless night of rapid heartbeats and shortness of breath at Mount Siguniang, we descended from the Tibetan Plateau's easternmost edge through treacherous mountain passes 4500m in elevation. Road conditions could hardly have been worse, but we did pound through the section of Highway S303 destroyed by the Wenchuan Earthquake years back. For the next two days we would enjoy a break from high altitudes before returning to an elevation of 2850m at the medieval walled city of Songpan.
We were lucky to reserve a room (elong.com to the rescue again) just hours before our arrival. Basing ourselves near the bus station was ideal for traveling to Mount Qingcheng, the Old Town of Jiezi and our next destination of Songpan. Located also in this working-class neighborhood were some of Dujiangyan's best cheap places for authentic Sichuanese eats, from Twice Cooked Pork to Braised Tofu to Catfish in Chili.
With two nights in town we reserved one full day for Mount Qingcheng and Jiezi, and spent our first afternoon visiting Dujiangyan's historic quarter, also known as the Ancient City of Guanxian. While it's remodeled way too much to be ancient in my view, it's still a pleasant place with at least some authentic markets and shops catering to locals rather than tourists.
My favorite sight in Dujiangyan wasn't even Mount Qingcheng or the ancient irrigation channels, but this obscure little shrine known as the Palace of Ten Dragons (Shilongdian). The intricate series of parabolic rooflines makes for a fantastic subject for any photographer or fan of architecture. And best of all, entrance has been made completely FREE since the great Wenchuan Earthquake. The tourism industry probably still hasn't recovered.
Comparatively the price of RMB 90 to see the ancient irrigation system up close seemed almost extortionate. While we're aware that it's considered one of the great achievements in ancient engineering, we weren't convinced that we would enjoy paying RMB 180 (CAD$32) to see the refurbished dyke and levees. Walking the downstream end of the channels was quite enough to appreciate the furious whitewaters -- in fact my wife felt dizzied by just the sights and sounds of the swirling currents.
Mount Qingcheng and Jiezi will be the subject of the next article. For dinner we followed advices from the locals and returned to the bus station area, taking advantage of the concentration of excellent cheap restaurants in the blue collar neighborhood. We're talking three course meals and beer for two people at RMB 75 (CAD$13.4) or less, definitely cheaper than Chengdu and a steal if you're used to prices in Beijing or Shanghai. And the quality of food was very respectable, as reviewed below:
1. ZHANGSANHONG JIACHANG CAIGUAN
This streetside restaurant is a true Dujiangyan institution. If you have one chance to experience authentic Sichuanese food in Dujiangyan, this would be my suggestion.
The Sichuanese have an affable nickname for such hole-in-the-wall places -- Cangying Guanzi, or Eateries of Flies. It doesn't necessarily imply substandard hygiene, but the tables are typically wobbly and the floors may be sticky and strewn with peanut shells. But that hardly matters to the hundreds of faithfuls returning week after week -- it's the flavor that counts.
Strategically simmering at the storefront were various concoctions of spicy slowcooked goodness one could smell from two blocks away. We arrived early at 18:00, having been warned by the locals of how notoriously crowded this place could get and how the favorite dishes could sell out anytime.
Featured prominently in a giant wok was the ingredient for everyone's favorite dish. Every grandmother in Sichuan probably has a different recipe for Braised Tofu, each with a different choice of side ingredients, peppers and bean sauces. But to be famous for a homestyle dish that even grandma would approve of? That's what makes this little shop legendary.
This was Sichuanese cuisine at its core: simple ingredients married to surprisingly deep, complex flavors achieved through time-honored fermentation processes, and designed to be the perfect companion for plain rice. Suicidal levels of spiciness was not mandatory (we asked for mild), just widely appreciated. At this incredibly low price of RMB 15 (CAD$2.7) it's tough to find a more addictive topping for rice.
Even better was the familiar Twice Cooked Pork, arguably the most famous Sichuanese contribution to the culinary world and my own favorite Sichuanese dish. It had everything I could wish for -- crispy caramelized edges, dose of heat from the green chili and marvelous flavors from the spicy Fermented Bean Sauce. Elevating this to another level was the addition of Salted Pickles, deep-fried to a mouthwatering crisp for that extra zest. I don't think I've had better Twice Cooked Pork anywhere.
This refreshing dish of Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives was almost a palate cleanser in comparison to the rich flavors of the Twice Cooked Pork. Every dish turned out first-rate as the locals suggested, but even more enjoyable was the experience of rubbing shoulders with the neighbours while washing down the Twice Cooked Pork with beer ... and paying about CAD$5 per person!
- ZHANGSANHONG JIACHANG CAIGUAN
- Jingzhong Lu 14, Dujiangyan, Chengdu
- Starting from the Long Distance Bus Station, walk north from the Li Bing statues along the main road of Guanjing Lu. Turn right on Jingzhong Lu. Zhangsanhong is about 50m ahead on the right side.
Bill for Two Persons
| Braised Tofu | RMB 15 |
| Twice Cooked Pork with Salted Pickles | RMB 20 |
| Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives | RMB 15 |
| Draft Beer | RMB 15 |
| Rice x 2 | RMB 2 |
| TOTAL before tips | RMB 62 (CAD$11.1) |
That was dinner on our first night. For lunch we purposely took a taxi to the pedestrian street of Yangliuhe Jie in search of a tiny eatery recommended by the locals, this time a specialist for Dumplings.
2. XINFAN NIUROU DOUHUA
Despite being located within walking distance from the main tourist attractions, this place was so tiny it took us 10 minutes to find, even with its address on hand.
Like most family-run eateries, Xinfan chose to specialize and excel in a small menu of local favorites. The Niurou Douhua in its name refers to the Sichuanese specialty of Tofu Pudding with Beef, but it's the Dumplings that everyone has come for.
The top seller by far was Shuijiao Dumplings with Black Sesame Sauce, a breakfast portion of paper-thin dumpling skin, pork fillings and a fragrant dollop of ground sesame on top. Spiciness was optional -- my wife ordered non-spicy while I preferred mine in mild. Unless you absolutely can't handle spices, I would recommend mild for that authentic Sichuanese kick.
The other variety of Dumplings on the menu was the Sichuanese favorite known as Chaoshou. Spiciness was NOT optional here -- it came unadulterated in a Spicy Fermented Bean Sauce. These were good, but not as extraordinary as the Chaoshou we had at a tiny hole-in-the-wall stall in Chengdu a couple weeks back.
Out of curiousity we did order the shop's namesake Tofu Pudding with Beef. While the Tofu was smooth and velvety as advertised, we just didn't quite enjoy Tofu Pudding as a savory snack rather than a dessert. It was more of an eye-opener for me.
My wife's favorite was -- no surprise here -- this bowl of Drunken Tofu, flavored with the syrupy sweetness of fermented glutinous rice wine. Everything came in small and manageable portions, but excellent altogether as a light meal.
At the end I couldn't resist ordering one more bowl of Shuijiao Dumplings with that addictive Black Sesame Sauce ... in mild spiciness. Those were some of the best Sichuanese Dumplings I've ever had, and I knew I may not visit Dujiangyan again.
- XINFAN NIUROU DOUHUA
- Yangliuhe Jie 67, Dujiangyan, Chengdu
- Take a taxi to the pedestrian street of Yangliuhe Jie. You may want to make use of the above photo of the store front, as it's not easy to find.
Bill for Two Persons
| Shuijiao Dumplings with Black Sesame | RMB 5 |
| Shuijiao Dumplings with Black Sesame | RMB 5 |
| Shuijiao Dumplings with Black Sesame | RMB 5 |
| Chaoshou Dumplings with Fermented Bean Sauce | RMB 5 |
| Tofu Pudding with Beef | RMB 5 |
| Drunken Tofu | RMB 5 |
| TOTAL before tips | RMB 30 (CAD$5.4) |
After a great meal at Zhangsanhong we returned to the same area for dinner on our last night in town. There was another restaurant recommended by the locals just two minutes walk south of Zhangsanhong, not as incredibly cheap but still a good place for authentic Sichuanese dishes at very affordable prices.
3. TUQIAO SHOUZHANGJI
Tuqiao Shouzhangji was another renowned restaurant within walking distance of the Long Distance Bus Station, also specializing in Sichuanese family dishes. The operation was somewhat self-served: you order at the front cashier, wait for your food at the table and return to the cashier to pay at the end. No gimmicks or fancy service, just solid good food.
This was the biggest single dish of our 18-day trip, in terms of sheer mass.
Frankly we expected something half of this size when we paid RMB 40 (CAD$7.1) for our Steamed Catfish in Black Beans and Green Chili, and were pleasurably surprised to see this monster on our table. While it did take a long time, we had no difficulty finishing this expertly steamed fish with appetizing flavors and minimal bones.
We would have ordered the restaurant's namesake Shouzhangji, or Palm-sized Chicken, except we had little room for meat after that massive catfish. More fitting for our stomach room was this little dish of Chinese Yam and Leeks with a delightful soy-based marinade.
On the other hand this Steamed Squash was way too filling after the fish. I'm not sure if we even finished it.
So here's the finished product -- our 50cm long fish with nothing left but backbones and a gasping mouth. On our way out the cashier gave us a RMB 3 discount for not taking a receipt. That, is the authentic China.
- TUQIAO SHOUZHANGJI
- Guanjing Road First Section 50, Dujiangyan, Chengdu
- Starting from the Long Distance Bus Station, walk north from the Li Bing statues along the main road of Guanjing Lu. The restaurant is about 300m ahead on the right side.
Bill for Two Persons
| Steamed Catfish with Green Chili and Black Beans | RMB 40 |
| Stir-Fried Chinese Yam with Leeks | RMB 12 |
| Steamed Squash | RMB 10 |
| Draft Beer | RMB 14 |
| Rice x 2 | RMB 2 |
| Discount for Not Taking Receipt! | RMB -3 |
| TOTAL before tips | RMB 75 (CAD$13.4) |
Finally we should give props to our comfortable and reasonably priced (less than RMB 200 in late 2014) hotel in Dujiangyan.
An-e Courtyard Hotel seems to be a local chain in Sichuan, and the Dujiangyan branch happened to be located within a 5 minute walk from the Long Distance Bus Station. Staying next to the transportation hub was ideal for catching local buses to Mount Qingcheng or the Old Town of Jiezi, and long distance buses in the direction of Songpan and Jiuzhaigou. Plus, two of the three restaurants reviewed above, all recommended by locals, were in this neighborhood.
But make sure you book your room online (e.g. elong.com or ctrip.com) -- a young Chinese couple walked in and were quoted a price nearly doubling ours.
Cheap Sichuanese Eats in Dujiangyan
Reviewed by Laura
Published :
Rating : 4.5
Published :
Rating : 4.5
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