Ma Wang Zi dates to 1923, and its Taikoo Li restaurant has held one Michelin star for five consecutive years. The menu combines chilli-rich Sichuan cooking with milder dishes. Check the current Michelin listing before treating the accolade as current.
Building the order
- Maoxuewang
- Quoted at CNY 98, this centres on delicate chicken-blood curd with a naturally porous texture, plus eel, pork intestine ends, tripe and Chaozhou-style meatloaf. The generous toppings sit in a fragrant red-oil broth with relatively gentle heat and numbing pepper.
- Chicken ‘tofu’
- Quoted at CNY 19. Despite its tofu-like appearance, it is made from finely minced chicken with the delicate texture of steamed egg, served in chicken broth. Its mildness offers relief from chilli and makes it suitable for children and older diners.
- Kung pao prawns with aubergine
- Quoted at CNY 98. Large, springy prawns and aubergine with a crisp shell and soft centre are coated in sweet-sour, gently spicy kung pao sauce. We recommend eating the aubergine within the first three minutes for the best texture.
- Green-pepper fish
- Quoted at CNY 158. Green pepper and aromatic huoxiang distinguish this poached fish from a conventional red-oil version, with fresh-tasting heat and tender fish rather than a heavy, oily finish.
- Sweet-skin goose
- Crisp-skinned, tender goose under an amber sugar glaze balances sweetness with braising spices. Neither greasy nor dry, it is a useful non-spicy starter.
- Dongpo pork hock
- The hock is braised until soft enough to fall from the bone, with gelatinous skin and a balanced sweet-savoury yuxiang sauce. It suits a group, with the Meishan main branch especially recommended.
- Sweet rice and mushroom rice
- Sweet shaobai is quoted at CNY 12: soft pork belly with glutinous rice and red-bean paste, sweet without being cloying and a useful counterpoint to maoxuewang. The CNY 59 mushroom rice is rich and aromatic; mix it through before eating.
Choosing among three branches
- Taikoo Li
- 1 Dongkangshi Street, Jinjiang. For reference, CNY 140–150 per person and emphasizes the courtyard setting, visitor convenience and heavy queues.
- Meishan main branch
- 157 East Second Ring Road, Meishan, with meals listed at CNY 80–100 per person. Expect little queueing, a spacious room and good Dongpo pork hock and pickles for family meals. This is outside central Chengdu, not a casual extra stop.
- Financial City 101
- Quoted at CNY 200–250 per person, with a more premium contemporary Chinese garden setting for a date or small gathering.
Queues and ordering boundaries
- Taikoo Li queueing
- Do not rely on a third party to reserve this branch. Telephone and walk-in arrangements can differ, so check online queueing, arrive early and confirm directly with the restaurant; this guide provides no booking service.
- Spice and portions
- Ask for less chilli and numbing pepper if needed; chicken ‘tofu’ and sweet-skin goose are mild. For three or four diners, we recommend three or four mains plus one small dish, combining maoxuewang, sweet shaobai and kung pao prawns with a vegetable dish such as amaranth and fresh tofu skin.