8 April 2013
Massive restaurant night
Last night in Chengdu, and I headed far out west, almost to the end of the metro, to an area called Golden Cow. I had read it was a big food street with many restaurants.
This turned out to be true, but they were massive restaurants, many of them spanning multiple floors. It was also quite a common site to see people arrive in chauffer driven Porsche Panameras or Range Rovers.
None the less I walked up and down the street, got turned away from two places who only seemed to cater for groups of 10 or more and eventually ended up in a large restaurant that was about half full.
Problem, their menu is Chinese text only, no pictures. They had already fussed over me with tea and whatever so I couldnt just leave, especially since there were 3 people standing to attention awaiting my order.
I look at the printed text on the menu, and recognise a few things. With a few broken sentences I managed to order beef with chilli, ensuring it was stir fried and not a soup, along with a cucumber dish. I also confirmed I like it spicy when asked.
A waitress came back and apologised that cucumber was unavailable, so I ordered eggplant. All in broken mandarin.
I wasnt sure which street I was supposed to walk up until I saw a giant hand holding chopsticks in the middle of the road.
That whole building is one restaurant. It has a courtyard area out the back too.
My normal tactic of going to a place in the local mall failed. The only option was an all you can eat buffet, which is expensive and features abalone, alaskan crab and other things I dont want.
I was turned away from this place. Fair enough as I am in my shorts and clown shoes and women in flowing evening gowns are being assisted out of limo's into the place.
This place was a possibility, until the amassed staff started singing and dancing out the front of the only entrance. Effectively blocking the path of anyone who might like to go inside!
I dont know why they lined up and performed a dance routine, some of them seemed really into it, others looked suicidal.
After finding a place that would take me and ordering in Chinese, heres part one of my dinner. It was great. Very spicy! It has only green chilli (or sort of yellow or white?) but it was probably the spiciest thing I have eaten on this trip.
I had to take the occasional rest to enjoy the burn. Its kind of hard to describe, it was sourer than normal chilli, and feels hot in a different part of your mouth. Maybe it was laced with battery acid.
Part 2 of my dinner, the eggplant. Covered in pickled vegetables with garlic. Not bad, but not as good as something similar I had the other night.
The whole box and dice. I didnt order rice but got it. Someone stood at the table and anytime I sipped the unusual tasting tea she topped it up again straight away.
You can sort of see the decor in here, in a word dated. Also that paper under the glass is the menu.
Presumably on this street once you have finshed eating its time to go to a KTV and drink and sing American pop songs translated into Chinese. Theres many such venues along here.