The new Chinese Sichuan food stall has become a hit at the weekend market.Why is Cardiff’s Sichuan flavour so popular?
At Cardiff’s weekend markets, a newly arrived Sichuan street food stall has quickly become a must-visit destination. Despite opening only on Saturdays and Sundays, the stall draws steady crowds and long queues, earning a loyal following in record time.
MaMa LaLa, as it’s called, has carved out a unique space in the city’s vibrant food scene, offering an authentic taste of traditional Sichuan cuisine—rich, bold, and made with heart.
Behind the stall is Di, whose recipes are deeply rooted in her childhood memories. Growing up in a family in Sichuan that loves food, Di’s first kitchen class came from her mother and grandmother. She explained, ‘I enjoy cooking myself, and I feel a sense of accomplishment while cooking.’
Every dish she offers is a tribute to the flavors that have been passed down through generations of family chefs during her upbringing.
This stall is not just a business, but more like a touching story about family, heritage, and love for food. In every dish, one can taste her emotional connection with her hometown.
I’ve been in Cardiff for three years, “Di said. At first, she pursued a career in business, but never found true satisfaction. That period of time didn’t make me happy, “she admitted.
Later, she switched to a restaurant as a waiter, and it was there that she first felt the enthusiastic response from diners. Customers always generously praise the chefs for their dishes, and that kind of recognition deeply moves me, “she said. It was these affirmations that gave her courage and ultimately led her to take to the streets and start her own stall.
As the core elements of traditional Sichuan cuisine, Ma and La have always been considered representatives of “heavy flavors”. But what surprised Di was that in Cardiff, these two flavors were not only not rejected, but also very popular.
The people here are willing to try new things and their acceptance of food is much higher than I originally imagined, “Di said. They are actually very good at eating spicy and numbing food, so I hardly made any improvements in taste.
Whether it’s sweet water made from chewy handmade noodles, vegetarian handmade dumplings suitable for Muslim diners, or refreshing and appetizing chicken noodle soup, they are all popular in front of the “MaMa LaLa” stall. These dishes not only captured diners in the market, but also sparked a strong interest in Sichuan cuisine among more people.
In order to extend her passion beyond the market, Di actively shares her cooking passion with more people through social media. She often posts the process of making dishes on the platform, and many netizens leave comments in the comment section asking about ingredients and methods.
If someone asks me about the recipe, I would be happy to share it, “she said.” I hope everyone can try making these dishes at home, so that more people can understand and enjoy Sichuan cuisine
For Di, what is spread is not only taste, but also a cultural exchange and connection.
The small stalls in the market are just the starting point of Di’s culinary dream. Di has already outlined a longer-term blueprint in his heart – to open his own restaurant and root the Sichuan flavor in the daily life of the city, not just in the weekend markets.
I hope to have my own small shop in the future, “she said, her tone filled with determination and anticipation. For her, cooking is not only a means of livelihood, but also a way to bring happiness and a sense of achievement. From restaurant servers to street vendors, from recognition from diners to interactive feedback on social platforms, Di is steadily pushing forward the dream of food from ideal to reality.
Every bowl of noodles and every dumpling, Di is not just feeding a city, she is also sharing her story. MaMa LaLa is a small stall with a huge soul, where tradition and creativity meet, and each dish tells a delicious story about family, memory, and cultural connections.