I’ve eaten at plenty of establishments in Chongqing (especially at the Bayi Food Street) over the course of my stay there and Miao Long Table Banquet is perhaps one of the most unique dining experiences I’ve ever had the chance to take part in. Located in Chiyou Jiuli City, this was included as a part of the lunch time activity designed to let visitors like me immerse themselves in Miao culture. And you know what? It actually kind of did a great job of doing it.
The Miao Long Table Banquet in Jiuli City Chongqing: A Unique Dining Experience
This was where we had the Miao Long Table Banquet (By the way, I also went to the Chongqing Banquet in Ba Kingdom and you can read about my experience on this article.). At the time the picture was taken, there still weren’t that many people here. This eventually did get full as the other visitors arrived from their tour of the complex.
Once the guests arrived, the staff would then start serving the tables. Now it might seem like a really long table but this actually is composed of just smaller tables that could accommodate 6 people. As with Miao cultural traditions, these tables then get 6 main meals for sharing among those seated.
So I looked up why a table typically has 6 diners and 6 dishes and found that this pretty much symbolizes the Miao’s (and Chinese) beliefs and cultural values. The number six is said to be symbolic of prosperity, good luck, and harmony. Values that unsurprisingly enough, can also be associated with communal dining.
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An activity that I think was really nice was when each of the guests were given rice wine to drink. What made the activity really stand out was the singing and dancing as the rice wine was passed around. I’m not even sure what the song was all about but the hosts’ energy was so infectious I couldn’t help but clap along.
As the singing and dancing died down, I then had a chance to really look at the meals that were now laid down in front of us on our table. I must say, these dishes didn’t look like much but I actually ended up enjoying them nonetheless. Not that they looked bad, but if you’re used to the really colorful Chongqing and Sichuan dishes then these probably aren’t going to be that impressive to you.
Not sure what this dish is called but I do remember it being extremely tasty and flavorful. The meat in particular was really tender and while lean, it surprisingly had a little fat that made it all the more tastier. The radish added freshness and was great at soaking up all the juices from the stew. I was actually expecting we’d be served sour soup fish but this was still a nice meal.
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This mung bean sprout and bamboo shoot dish might seem plain but it was quite honestly far from that impression. It was refreshing and provided a lot of texture that helped cut the richness of the other dishes. Probably the only issue I had with it was that they could have added more.
Here’s a variation of the popular Steamed Pork Belly with Glutinous Rice dish. I’m not going to lie, this was probably one of the richest dishes on this table. The pork fat just melted in my mouth and almost drowned out all other flavors. I honestly didn’t remember what the rest of the dish tasted like. Much like the mung bean sprout and bamboo shoot dish, the portion just felt a little lacking.
Now if you want something to cut through the rich, fatty flavor of the steamed pork then you’re going to want this stir fried cabbage dish. It also has this topping that was crunchy and super flavorful but still light on the palate. I will say this, if not for the meat dishes then I actually would have eaten more of this.
Another dish that was refreshing and light on the palate was this small bowl of Liangfen or Mung Bean Jelly Noodles. I initially thought this was some sort of coconut meat but the taste was wholly different. It was chewy and had this neutral flavor that was perfect for the sauce that served as its topping.
While I also wasn’t sure what this was, it did kind of resemble another Chinese dish called Dapanji (Big Plate Chicken) that I’d already tried before. Now that dish originated from the Han Chinese and wasn’t as red as this one. As for which was tastier, I actually prefer this. The mix of spicy and sweet flavors was just right and the bird they used was actually quite juicy.
Now this is another of the palate cleansers on this table. If I remember correctly, this salad has chrysanthemum and crushed tofu as its main ingredients. Now you might think that that’s an odd combination and I won’t fault you for having those thoughts. Once you get a taste though, you’ll realize that this is actually quite nice and that it cuts through the richness of the other food even better than the cabbage earlier.
For fruits, the table I was in was served with these sliced hami melons. This was also a great palate cleanser though I found it to be a little on the sweeter side. Still, it was nice that this was on the table as it made for a more complete meal.
If you’re not too keen on the hami melon or the other dishes, you can always take a sip of the clear soup here. This was actually quite refreshing yet still also flavorful. I enjoyed putting this on my rice as it just made that really appetizing.
Now speaking of rice, this was the rice that was served at the table that I was on. I’m not sure if this was a cultural practice or what but the rice wasn’t that warm when I got it. Thanks to that, I had to warm it up a little with the clear soup in the previous image. Now that I think about it, maybe that was intentional? Whatever the case may be, this was still a great tasting rice that I ended up enjoying.
Here’s our table’s meals from a different angle. Take note that I’m not entirely sure if this is what they present to their visitors everyday. I ended up looking for the menu online but I surprisingly couldn’t find any that was specific. My guess is that these meals are changed regularly.
So there were several long tables during lunch time and these two were some of the first to get cleared out. I wasn’t able to talk to the other diners but it did seem like the majority enjoyed the food that was served to them. I will say though that the meat dishes were particularly popular and unsurprisingly was the first to run out.
So this group was a little late for lunch but they still were accommodated. It should also be noted that there really isn’t a set time allocated for the meal so you and your group can take your time eating. With that said, I would still recommend that you don’t spend too much time on your meal especially if you plan to see more of Chiyou Jiuli City.
If you have time you can also check out this section here. When I was there, it had Tanghulu or candied fruit in a skewer as well as what seemed like tea in bamboo containers. I was honestly considering buying a skewer of the Tanghulu but then I realized I was still full from the long table banquet.
Here’s another look at the section which also serves as a prep area for the food. As you can see in the image, one of the staff is prepping the soup for another set of guests. One thing that also stood out (aside from the food) was the warmth and friendliness of the staff. Even with the language barrier, I still felt welcomed here.
And with this image, I end my visit to the Long Table Banquet in Chiyou Jiuli City. Honestly speaking, the food here was just okay. It’s not going to win any Michelin stars but it’s also not that bad. Some dishes were better than others like the Steamed Pork Belly but I wouldn’t say they’re worth going out of your way to visit this place. Really, what makes this experience stand out is the warmth of the staff and the sense of community you feel while partaking of the food along with other people. I don’t think you can really get that from just about any Michelin-starred establishment.
Ever had the chance to experience the Miao Long Table Banquet in Chiyou Jiuli City? If yes, then make sure to share your thoughts about this unique dining experience with us down in the comments section!
