Food in Jiefangbei and Guanyinqiao in Chongqing

First morning in Chongqing and we decided to find a local place for breakfast.

Just a few minutes walk from our service apartment, there is a street with lots of local restaurants.  So local that it's questionable if it's clean to eat at.

Found 小洞天渝师傅 (Eat 1) that has good reviews online.  It sells buns and noodle.  The tables are so low to the ground and chairs are almost touching the floor.  Very different from what I imagine a "restaurant" should look like.  With the tables so slow, why not just sit on the floor?  Why can't they have higher tables?  A lot of the restaurants on the street has low and tiny tables too.  Culture thing?

Had to share table with a bunch of strangers.

Buns and dumplings are normal.  Tastes just like it looks.

Noodle is ok too.  Won't say I love it but it's edible.

There are big bowls of communal condiments on the tables.  Uncovered.  Questionable again.  Couldn't get myself to try.

This is a bowl of condiment that strangers are sharing.  Not left overs.  Just by the look of it, felt like I would get a stomach ache.

Lastly order a ball of glutinous rice.  Bland and nice.  Rather eat something bland then chilli oil covered dishes.

Too thirsty and went across the street to a Chagee.

They have fancy little bakeries too.  So, if local food won't work out for me, there's always some sort of white food.

Then we took a taxi to Guanyinqiao.  They have places selling random cute stuff.  Lots of people taking pictures at the giant chilli.  A touristy area.  

Headed to 觀音橋好吃街 (Eat 2).  Saw good reviews online and basically it's a must go place in the area.  Actually other than eating, not sure what else to do.

We got a bowl of spicy luo si fen.  The stinky noodle.  Yes, it stinks, but not too bad.  Just fermented bamboo shoot smell.  But way to spicy.  Couldn't finish.

Thought they would reheat these stuff on a stick.  Turns out they are to be eating cold.  Surprised we didn't get sick.  Honestly, didn't taste good.  It's edible, but not good.  Each stick is at last 1CNY, some more expensive than the others.  Over priced compared to the other food items there.  Anyways, not good, at least not something any of us enjoyed.

Then we found a shop for baked durian and cheese pancake.  

Full of cheese and durian.  This is a small portion but pretty big already.  The best tasting thing in Guanyinqiao that we tried.  Interesting to try, but probably won't buy again.

Feels like 90% of the food in Chongqing is spicy and very oily.  Very different from Chinese food I am used to.  First time feeling there is nothing to eat on vacation.

Places on map:

Eat 1 - 小洞天渝师傅

China, Chong Qing Shi, Yu Zhong Qu, 鲁祖庙 邮政编码: 400010

Eat 2 - 觀音橋好吃街

重庆市江北区东环路59号附6号(观音桥地铁站6A口步行280米)