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2013-12-15
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Whenever I ask people where's the best place for spicy Szechuan food, one common answer I always get is San Xi Lou so I came here with my spicy buddies J, W and R for a night of spicy food! When we arrived on the 7/F, the aroma of Szechuan pepper wafted into our noses immediately as many of the tables were already eating hotpot. As we had made a reservation ahead of time, we were seated right away. We chose to order a la carte dishes instead of hotpot that night as I feel that you can get spicy
Marinated Cold Chicken with Peanut in Spicy Sauce (Reg $158) - one of my favorite dishes to get when I eat Szechuan food! The chicken arrived covered in layers of spicy sauce and chili oil. The chicken was very smooth and tender while the sauce was spicy and numbing! The level of spiciness was just right as well - enough to get our adrelanine running but not too much as to overpower the taste of chicken.
Spicy Sichuan Style Stewed Mandarin Fish (Small $288) - another must-have Szechuan dish! We could smell the peppercorn before the dish was set down on our table. A thick layer of Szechuan peppers rested on top of the stewed mandarin fish, noodles, bean sprouts, and pig blood. The mandarin fish was cooked perfectly as it was smooth and flaky. The noodles were surprisingly thicker and chewier than usual, which were tasty to eat as they have fully absorbed the spiciness of the Szechuan peppers! This dish was not as spicy as the one at Golden Valley, but still satisfying overall.
Double Baked Prawns with Pepper in Casserole ($240) - the price for prawns was seasonal which was $30 per prawn with a minimum of 8 prawns. This dish was highly recommended to us by the waiter. When he lifted lid from the bowl, we could smell the strong scent of white pepper right away. The prawns were big and meaty, and since it was double baked, the skin was crispy enough to be eaten as well. The abundant amount of white pepper did not overpower the fresh and sweet flavor of the prawn, instead helping to enhance the taste. It was a different kind of spicy from the Szechuan peppers, but in a good way.
Country Style Deer Sinew ($138) - my first time trying deer sinew which was pretty similar to beef tendon. The deer sinew was soft and tender, and was nicely sauteed in flavorful sauce. We were afraid it may taste gamey at first, but did not detect that at all. An interesting dish to try if you haven't tried deer.
Sichuan Style Sauteed Shredded Asparagus Lettuce ($88) - our veggy dish of the night! The shredded asparagus lettuce was light and refreshing to eat after all that spicy food. The texture was a bit snappy to eat while flavor was slightly sweet. We felt that the lettuce would taste even better if it was drier with less sauce though.
Goji Berries & Osmanthus Pudding ($28) - moving onto dessert! This pudding was cold and refreshing to eat after a night of spicy food. The goji berries were sweet while the aroma of osmanthus was fragrant. A satisfying and solid dessert overall.
Sweet Glutinous Pellets in Rice Wine ($28) - the tiny glutinous dumplings were overcooked and goopy while lacking in the aroma or taste of rice wine. Very disappointing especially since we just had the same dessert that was perfectly executed at Liu Yuan Pavillion.
Conclusion - we were satisfied after a night of delicious Szechuanese food! Most of the main dishes were high-quality and tasty while there could be room for improvement on the dessert front. The service was prompt and helpful especially when we asked the waiter for recommendations. I would recommend this restaurant to people who seek authentic Szechuanese dishes, which could be spicy or non-spicy as well! I saw many non-spicy dishes on the menu so don't be put off if you are someone who cannot eat spicy. Since I saw many tables doing hot pot, I would love to come back to try that next time!
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