Chengdu Mei Shi (成都美食): Affordable Chong Qing Grilled Fish & Other Sichuan Dishes At Chinatown

Having lived in China for 9 years, every now and then I would crave Chinese cuisine. To get authentic Chinese food, the first place you’d think of is Chinatown.

This little stall I call second home is located at the end of People’s Park Complex Hawker Centre. They serve food in cai fan style during lunch, and zi char style for dinner.

Cheng Du Mei Shi (成都美食) serves a variety of Sichuan dishes from S$3 – S$15. Their speciality is Chong Qing Grilled Fish (S$15) and Spicy Chicken (S$15). Both dishes include a good amount of ingredients and spice.

I had my doubts when I first approached the stall, because it was small and most of the dishes on the menu are vegetables. However, after trying the dishes, the strong flavours are what left me pleasantly surprised.

To start off, we had the Cold Dish Cucumber 凉拌黄瓜 (S$4), a dish that’s coated in chilli oil, garlic, sesame oil, vinegar and other seasonings.

The cucumbers were roughly chopped in big pieces and honestly didn’t look very appetising at first. However, when I took my first bite, the crunchy cucumber and the seasoning of the sauce was perfect.

The chilli oil and garlic may seem overpowering, but the dish was actually very refreshing. The sesame oil gave the dish a nutty flavour, making it unexpectedly flavourful from such a simple dish.

Next, we tried the Dry-Fried Long Beans 干煸四季豆 (S$4), a very popular Sichuan dish which uses minced meat, garlic and chilli to add a robust flavour to the long beans. Thanks to the dry-frying cooking method, the long beans were quite crunchy too.

The main highlight was the Chong Qing Grilled Fish 重庆烤鱼 (S$15), a signature Sichuan dish. The fish was immersed in chilli oil, and accompanied by other other ingredients like tofu, bean sprouts and winter melon.

What makes this dish stand out is that each mouthful has a good ratio of chilli and fish.

The fish wasn’t overwhelmingly spicy, soaking up just the right amount of chilli oil. The skin is first fried till crispy, then the juicy fish is cooked with other ingredients.

I love sour food and this potato dish does it for me. Sour and Spicy Potato Shreds 酸辣土豆丝 (S$3) is a very simple dish, but what worked for me was the blend of flavours. Tangy and spicy, the stir-fried potatoes had a good amount of crunch too.

The light flavours made this a palate cleanser, but could also be underwhelming for some.

For all you meat lovers, I got you covered. The Sliced Beef In Chilli Oil 水煮牛肉  (S$12) is cooked similarly to the fish but with sliced beef. Filled with ingredients such as potato starch noodles, bean sprouts and more, it’s a goldmine of flavours!

The sliced beef were coated with cornstarch to make it even more tender, which helped the beef to absorb the seasoning. The bean sprouts also gave the dish a good crunch.

I’d still say this dish was quite ordinary in terms of taste and the beef portion wasn’t that generous. The beef slices were also too chewy for me.

Chengdu Mei Shi 成都美食 really gave me a sense of home, dining in a restaurant filled with the sounds of different Chinese dialects. I’d definitely recommend you guys to head down and give it a try.

It’s the kind of place where you have to go with your friends, and order dishes to share.

Expected Damage: S$10 – S$15 per pax