The zoo in Chengdu does have that depressing animals-in-steel-cages feel, but it's fairly large, with pandas and an interesting selection of some other animals. Besides, zoos are great places for people watching.

As for food, I'm really fond of the 四川小吃 Sichuan Xiaochi banquet, where you get up to a dozen small plates of various Sichuan snacks, like Dandan Mian and Long Chao Shou. But food quality has become much less dependable in China over the past decade -- corners are being cut everywhere -- so I'm reluctant to offer a name or two. Perhaps someone else will.