Even though hotpot is Chongqing’s most famous food, recently a new rival has emerged: chuan chuan.  Chuan chuan, meaning something like “skewered food” is a sort of remix of the classic hot pot theme.  Unlike traditional hotpot, however, the ingredients of chuan chuan are skewered on sticks and then placed in the boiling oil within a clay or iron pot, making it more convenient to pick up the food after it is cooked in the pot.

Skewered dishes on sticks within a clay pot.

Both hotpot and chuan chuan have their advantages.  Some say that the flavor of chuan chuan is “too mild” for their taste, or like the old school feels of hotpot.  Others like the ingredients or the convenience of cooking food on kabobs.  Whatever your preference, chuan chuan ranks up with hotpot as a must-try in Chongqing.

The local in Chongqing come to that kind of Chuan Chuan Restaurant from all districts to satisfy their taste buds but not for novelty or following. Variety of dishes and unique taste impress visitors and keep them coming back for more. Many restaurants locate downstairs of an old residential building or in the labyrinthine laneways, always thronged with crowds inside and lines outside when visiting or just passing by every time.

Skewered parsley beef on sticks, waiting for cooking.