As a long-time Shanghai resident, I usually steer clear of the Yu Gardens tourist circuit, that is, unless I’m guiding visitors. But TAN Sichuan Cuisine was a compelling reason to pull me in, a new arrival backed by the team behind Chengdu’s acclaimed THE BRIDGE.
The Space
Perched on the second floor, directly opposite the iconic Nine-Turn Bridge, the restaurant offers a serene vantage point over the lively scene below.
The space itself is a welcome surprise, modern and elegant, with a spacious dining hall and several private rooms. It feels a world away from the typical tourist-trap aesthetic of the area.
The Food
TAN operates under the same prestigious group as Chengdu’s acclaimed THE BRIDGE, but that’s where the relationship ends. This is its more accessible sibling, one that’s casual, affordable, and serving up authentically tasty Sichuan fare.
The menu is mostly traditional. There are a few modern twists like the Shredded Beef Cold Noodles (¥39, ⽜⾁丝凉⾯), which combines bouncy angel hair pasta with a savory sauce of soy and chili oil, topped with shredded dried beef.
In stark contrast, the Dan Dan Noodles (¥18, 红油担担⾯) are a classic done right: chewy, hand-cut noodles laden with stir-fried pork mince, preserved vegetables, and that deeply addictive chili oil.
Start with the Sichuan Sliced Beef with Chili Oil (¥69, 夫妻肺⽚). Despite its literal Chinese name, “husband and wife lung slices,” it contains no lung. Instead, it’s a vibrant cold appetizer of thinly sliced beef tossed in a complex, fiery, and numbing oil; think of it as a bracing cold beef salad that awakens the palate.
A showstopper is the Claypot Baked Marble Goby Yuxiang Style (¥298, ⽯锅⻥⾹笋壳⻥), which arrives sizzling in a ripping hot stone pot. The whole fish is cooked in the iconic “fish-fragrant” yuxiang sauce, a cornerstone of Sichuan cuisine that balances salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and umami notes. It fills the air with the scent of pickled ginger, garlic, and chili, and you’ll have your hand up waving for a bowl of rice in no time.
For the adventurous, the Stir-Fried Chicken and Chili (¥88, 川坛尖椒鸡) is a must-try, though its tiny bones require some care. Made with black chicken, erjingtiao peppers, and numbing green Sichuan peppercorns, it’s imbued with wok hei and an addictive, fragrant heat.
A personal favorite for colder months is the Beef with Pickled Vegetable Broth (¥138, 酸汤肥⽜). This is a pure comfort dish. Its bright, sour broth gets its unique character from yellow lantern chilies, which have a fermented sour-spicy flavor with a hint of fruity acidity, pickled chilies and vegetables, and green numbing Sichuan peppercorns. The mild, peppery heat hums in the background, allowing tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef slices to shine. Dig deeper into the broth for the crunchy celtuce and golden needle mushrooms.
They also have all the classics: Mapo Tofu (¥69, ⿇婆⾖腐⽜⻣髓) is elevated with bone marrow, Gong Bao Chicken (¥69, 宫保鸡丁), and the “Saliva Chicken” (¥78, ⼝⽔鸡), served in a brilliantly red and numbing chili oil bath.
End on a sweet, simple note with the Ice Jelly (¥15, 冰粉), served here with traditional brown sugar, raisins, and bits of hawthorn candy. There’s also a sweet rice wine version, but I prefer the brown sugar.
It’s the perfect spot to bring visitors when you want to deliver a hit of regional fire without any pretense.
TAN Sichuan Cuisine
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