Tai Er Suan Cai Yu (Bao'an Center)

Tai Er Suan Cai Yu at Bao'an Center is a branch of a chain specialising in suan cai yu, the pickled mustard-green fish stew associated with Sichuan and Chongqing cooking, located in the Bao'an Center shopping district of Xin'an Subdistrict, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. The restaurant is one of the casual dining options in the commercial heart of Bao'an, popular with office workers at lunch and with families and friends in the evening.

The cuisine is Sichuan home-style cooking built around a single signature dish. Suan cai fish is made by simmering slices of fresh fish, typically in a sour and savoury broth based on fermented mustard greens, with chilli, pickled peppers and sometimes a numbing hint of Sichuan pepper. The fish is cooked briefly at the table or in the kitchen so that the slices remain tender, and the broth is eaten alongside rice. Other items on the menu include spicy chicken feet, a popular cold or braised snack, and stir-fried greens, as well as tofu and meat dishes designed to share. The sour, appetising flavour of the broth makes it suited to the humid climate of Shenzhen.

The dining room is bright and functional, with tables set for sharing and a steady turnover at peak times. There is no dress code, and noise levels are moderate to lively. Beverages include tea, soft drinks and beer, and there is no notable wine programme.

Prices are in the moderate range, with a meal for two or three people commonly built around one large pot of fish and several side dishes. Opening hours are roughly 11:00 to 22:00 daily. Reservations are generally not required, and walk-in service is the norm, though a queue can form at weekend dinner and the Dianping or Meituan apps can be used to take a queue number or reserve. Visitors wanting less heat can request a milder pot, and ordering rice to accompany the fish is standard practice.