Livin' In The Chonx

Wan Zhou Kao Yu 万州烤鱼
•    Market price varies; average 20-30 RMB/person

Wanzhou, the second largest ‘city’ in Chongqing after Chongqing City itself and one of the stops along the Three Gorges cruise, is the home of barbecued fish.  And because this specialty is so popular with the locals here, it’s relatively easy to find one of these restaurants.  One particular area that may pass below your radar, but is well known to the locals, is along a side street that begins at the intersection of Petroleum Road and exits back out near the giant Da Ping traffic circle.  Here you can find several restaurants in a row that serve up this Wanzhou specialty.  Come out in the evening and you will find a line of tents set up outside each restaurant, crowded with hungry patrons.  Walk over to the large tubs along the sidewalk where live fish are wriggling and splashing, and take your pick.  Not a freezer in sight.  After the fish is prepared and seasoned to your specification, they barbecue it over a large grill and then set it in a large pan over hot coals at your table to keep it nice and hot for the remainder of your meal.  The three most popular styles are Ma La 麻辣-the traditional Sichuan spices of red chili peppers and numbing prickly ash, Pao Jiao 泡椒-pickled jalapenos and chili peppers (extremely spicy), and Dou Shi 豆豉-fermented black beans (very salty, not spicy).  All of the above go well with a frosty Snow or Shancheng beer.  The Beer reps are standing by.

Note: These are river fish, so there are typically more bones than foreigners are used to dealing with.  Take it slow.

Bus Tip: 石油路 or 大坪.  From 石油路: At the intersection of the main street and Petroleum Road (Shi You Lu) go south down the side street.  Follow the street as it turns left and narrows into a very small, short alley, when the alley opens back up there is a ramp going up.  Go up the ramp and the restaurants are immediately on your left.  From 大坪: Go south in the direction of Chongqing Medical Hospital.  Just before the post office on the right is a side street.  Go straight along that side street for about 5-10 minutes and you will arrive at the restaurants.