Chengdu Food Guide for Foreign Travelers: Eat Like a Local Without Burning Your Tongue (2025 Mild-Spice Edition)
Think Chengdu food = fire-level spice? Think again. Yes, Chengdu is a UNESCO “City of Gastronomy.” But 70% of Sichuan dishes are not spicy — or only mildly so. I once watched a Mexican friend order “extra spicy” hotpot. He took one bite… and asked for milk. “I thought I could handle it,” he said, sweating. […]
Chongqing Hotpot vs Chengdu Hotpot: A Foreigner’s Guide to Telling the Difference (And Where to Eat the Best One)
You’ve probably heard: “Sichuan food is spicy.”But here’s the thing—Chongqing hotpot and Chengdu hotpot are NOT the same. I’ve lived in Chongqing for more than 20 years and Chengdu for 10 years. Last year, I took a Canadian friend to Chongqing’s famous Yang’s Hotpot (Yáng Jì Lǎo Huǒguō, 杨记隆府) and then to Chengdu’s Shu Dà Xiá […]