Jun Qin Hua

Jun Qin Hua is the definitive hole-in-the-wall eaterie, the kind of place you’re more likely to pass by rather than enter. But never judge a restaurant by its store front.

Kaili’s suantang yu, fish in tomato-based sour soup, is so fresh the fish was bobbling in the soup for ten minutes after the hotpot came to our table on a recent visit.

Mi doufu and juanfen, rice-based appetisers, drenched in a sour and spicy dressing and a handful of deep-fried soybeans, are mouth watering. The lazi ji (à la Guizhou) is fabulous, with bite-sized pieces of chicken smothered in cloves of garlic and crushed chilies – totally different from Chongqing-style lazi ji.

Stir-fried potatoes cooked with zaola, a type of crushed chillies popular in Guizhou, is another instantly likable dish. Another speciality that’s not found in many other restaurants is xiao mizha, a sweet dish made with glutinous millet, steamed with dates and lotus seeds. This makes for an excellent end to a meal.