Memory of the Old Flavors of the Old Restaurants in Chongqinggqing

□ Written & Photo by Yang Yan

Memory of the Old Flavors of the Old Restaurants in Chongqinggqing

□ Written & Photo by Yang Yan

Streets and alleys in Chongqing are scattered with many old yet unfading flavors, which carry the city’s memory of taste in the lapse of time. Despite of the lack of ritzy decoration, these restaurants have attracted generations of guests by oral commendation. This time we will look for the most typical restaurants in Chongqing, recalling those old ones with decades of history. The owner is just the same, so is the taste.

Linhua Restaurant

With only eight tidy square tables, Linhua Restaurant is quite a small one, but it has attracted many famous epicures during its 20-year history. Serving home style dishes, the restaurant is just like corner shops in our memory of childhood. Standing in the hall of the restaurant, you can hear woks rattle and clank in the kitchen next door, where the cook is quick-frying dishes with blaze.

On the war is a line of beautiful calligraphy, saying “Traditional Sichuan Cuisine”, “Flavor Intestine”, etc. which are works of the owner. As a man with special pursuit of cuisine, he has done only two things in his life—working in a factory and opening this restaurant when he was laid off. Although the rent of the restaurant has doubled up, its fl avor has never changed until now. The owner shows special preference to Sichuan Cuisine. His specialty, sliced beef with pickled cabbage, is made of tender lean beef and acid pickled cabbage. Refreshing and tender, Fried River Eel with Pickled Pepper is a unique dish which will stimulate your appetite by its acid and spicy fl avors. With crispy fried eggplant, Fish Flavored Eggplant is worth its reputation. Just a bite will make you beyond happy.

Location

No. 53, Guanyinyan, Yuzhong District.

Houdexiang Chongqing Cuisine Restaurant

Stressing the original taste of food and less use of seasonings, Houdexiang Restaurant differs from the common lake cuisine restaurants which prefer heavy fl avors of oil, chilies, ajinomoto and chicken essence. The chef adds homemade flavors to his dishes to offset the wildness and arrogance of typical lake cuisine. Fond of wild materials, Houdexiang serves Drunken Shrimps from Qionghai Lake, fishes from Changshou Lake and pheasants from Gulin… Thanks to the owner’s patience to search around, the restaurant enjoys countless high-quality ingredients. The specialty, Gulin Chicken with Cayenne Pepper, is a local dish of Gulin, Sichuan, which has been reported by the famous documentary, “A Bite of ChinaⅡ”. The cook boils native Gulin chicken with condiments made from dozens of Chinese herbs. Its rich chicken soup and chili oil dipping are just perfect. Qionghai Drunken Shrimp is made of shrimps newly caught from Xionghai Lake, which are sweet without fi shy taste. With high-grade Shaoxing wine in its condiments, the dish has an acid and spicy fl avor, making it the best appetizer in summer.

Pickled Hot Carp is made of small carps only newly caught from Changshou Lake. With homemade pickled cabbage as seasoning, the fish is served with dipping, red bell peppers and yellow pickled radish. Its tender fi sh and delicate soup will offer you a palate feast. Hanyuan Pepper Beef is also a wellaccepted dish in the restaurant. Using the most original cooking techniques in Hanyuan, the dish, which is made of 250g beef, 250g offal and delicious soup of chicken bones, is served on the table with boiling pot.

Location

Beside the North Gate of Bangxing Yuzhuhuanyuan, Yanghebei Road, Jiangbei District.

Chunyang Restaurant

Covering several square meters, the 30-year-old Chunyang Restaurant can only contain several tables with a long table having cooked meat and cold dished on it. The small restaurant has been existing since the 1980s. It once moved because of demolition, but its name has never been changed. Most of the customers here are regular ones for decades.

As cold dish restaurant opened at the early 1980s, it only serves cold dishes without hot ones, such as Pork with Garlic Sauce, Cooked Snout and Cold Pork which are all snacks for wine. It also serves common dishes like rich mund bean soup and bean sauce soup. Chunyang Restaurant also stick to the tradition of old restaurant until now, serving not only traditional cold dishes, mund bean soup and bean sauce soup, but also homemade wines of loquat, grapes and plum in big glass jars, which are quite rear in other restaurants and should be the secret of its success. In the memory of regular customers, the cold dishes have a flavor of freedom and simplicity without unnecessary flavors. It is the philosophy of Chunyang Restaurant that having a calm and composed attitude in today’s clamor world.

Location

50 meters down from the slope beside Liuyishou Hot Pot, Guanyinyan, Zhongshanyi Road, Cooked, Snout and , Yuzhong District.

Hu’s Hoof Soup

Hu’s Hoof Soup is an old restaurant with over 20 years’ history, located at the Zhengjie Street, Huangjueping, just near the old campus of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Bought by the owner, the restaurant has an eye-catching sign board and a capacious hall with decoration of the 1980s. Old as it may be, the restaurant enjoys a good reputation and carries the memory of local people at Huangjueping.

It is said that Hu’s Hoof Soup is one of the best in Chongqing. In addition to its delicacy, it is because the restaurant has also attracted many famous artists thanks to its location. According to the owner, Luo Zhongli was a regular guest here. Served in an antimony pot, the whole hoof has been cooked for several hours, sending out fascinating scent. With a little oil fl owing on it, the white soup is served with green chive or coriander. Just a sip will give you happiness beyond description. The tempting hoof is cooked to be glutinous but not oily. With dipping of cayenne pepper, you can’t help eating it up. Different from the pottage of other restaurant, Hu’s soup are light but tasty with peas in it, which is more suitable for summer. The spicy dipping will also leave great impression on you.

Besides, Boiled Fish with Pickled Chinese Cabbage is also delicious. With tender and smooth fi sh and acid soup, the dish will offer you a comfortable spicy fl avor without being oily. Hu’s Preserved Egg with Green Pepper is a must in summer. You can break the egg with chopsticks, seeing the colloidal and sticky yolk flowing out slowly. Mix it with glossy green pepper in the plate and it will be perfect partner to your rice. Other cold dishes in the restaurant are also good. Just have them with a bottle of beer and enjoy the delicacy by yourself.

Location

No.5-1, Zhengjie Street, Huangjueping, Jiulongpo District.