Sichuan

on 2022.01.10

5 Places

Bourdain roams Sichuan province, the “spicy, sensualist heartland” of China. He brings along his good friend Eric Ripert, head chef of Le Bernardin, and launches a campaign to make his friend feel as uncomfortable as possible. Refusing to go easy on him, Bourdain subjects Ripert to a never-ending onslaught of numbing Sichuan peppercorns, limit-testing baijiu, and a spontaneous ear cleaning.

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Chengdu, China

Xiaomingtang Dandantian Shuimian

Asian restaurant · Chengdu

For Tony and Eric Ripert's first place, they had dan dan tian shui mian (spicy noodles) from this place.

Chengdu, China

Wuhou District

Chengdu

Tony and Eric ate at this sichuan restaurant, and Eric said the spice was "challenging" They had pickled chicken feet, la zi ji (spicy chicken), mapo tofu (Tony's favorite), tong jiao yu (Sichuan green-peppercorn fish)

Leshan, China

Leshan Giant Buddha

Statue · Leshan

Tony and Eric took a boat ride to see the largest stone buddha in the world, built in 713.

Jiaxing, China

Lianglukou Hotpot

Restaurant · Jiaxing

By the end of this meal of painfully spicy Sichuan hot pot (dog tail; tripe, or “thousand-layer stomach”; tofu skin, seaweed, various meats and fishes, intestines), Eric said he couldn't think anymore (because of the spice). Tony enjoyed the meal and watching Eric squirm.

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Chengdu, China

Kuanzuo

Asian restaurant · Chengdu

Not sure if this restaurant is still here. Tony and Eric met with Fuchsia Dunlop, a James Beard award-winning writer and cook who specializes in Chinese cuisine. They had "lily buds scented with rosebuds, thinly sliced beef shank with chili oil, tea tree mushrooms blanched and lightly stir-fried, prawns served cold with homemade noodles dressed with natural vegetable extracts, noodles hand-cut with duck-egg yolks, braised sea cucumber."

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