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2019-12-25
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This Sichuan restaurant is located in Wanchai J Senses, with Michelin 1-star status for the last four years but in the recent 2020 list was taken out. The restaurant offers authentic Sichuan dishes so if you cannot take spicy food you might need to rethink coming here for the explosive flavors.Coming here on Christmas Eve, we opted to sit inside but in fact there are a nice terrace where diners can enjoy the view from the street on the balcony. The decor is modern with the dark tone mixed with r
This Sichuan restaurant is located in Wanchai J Senses, with Michelin 1-star status for the last four years but in the recent 2020 list was taken out. The restaurant offers authentic Sichuan dishes so if you cannot take spicy food you might need to rethink coming here for the explosive flavors.
Coming here on Christmas Eve, we opted to sit inside but in fact there are a nice terrace where diners can enjoy the view from the street on the balcony. The decor is modern with the dark tone mixed with red, quite comfortable if you are sitting on the sofa, but for those on the other side you might need to be excused when other diners or staff walk behind you, with the distance between the chairs and the glass wall quite narrow.
The appetizers provided are really spicy and got us a taste of what to come. We ordered Smashed Cucumber ($60) to start as cold appetizer. The cucumber was crunchy and seasoned nicely, refreshing and I found it a nice balance to neutralize some of the spicy dishes I had afterwards.
Then we had Hot and Sour Soup ($60). This is a signature dish and I totally agree, with the soup having the great balance of hot and sour. For the local flavors it would be on the spicy side, and while I enjoyed every single drop of the soup I also kept on sweating profusely. There are also plenty of ingredients, with the pig's blood, shredded pork, mushroom, tofu and others all contributing to the soup. One of the best hot and sour soup in town, but you might want to dial down the spiciness if you are not used to Sichuan cuisine.
Next comes Impossible Mapo Tofu ($130). Instead of the normal beef, this dish is using the impossible meat, a plant-based protein which got similar texture and flavors to the beef, and I found it a good match in this dish. The tofu is smooth and the sauce spicy but not overly so, full of flavors and a great dish with rice.
Having something non-spicy, we also got Sweet and Sour Iberico Pork Collar ($180). Very colourful in presentation, the pork collar has been deep-fried first to maintain a crunchy surface while a soft and moist interior. The sweet and sour sauce is very nicely done, highlighting both the elements perfectly without masking each other, and the bell pepper and pineapple are a great complement too.
Next we had another signature dish, the Crispy Diced Chongqing Style Chicken with Cashew Nut ($235). Great in aromas even before eating, the diced chicken is very nicely deep-fried to make it crispy but not overly dry, and I also like the fact the flavors of the different spices and chili are fully absorbed into the chicken, unlike in many other restaurant the chicken are simply deep-fried then mixed with the chili without the flavors. There also also plenty of chicken pieces too. A must-try in this restaurant in my opinion.
We also ordered a Steamed Bun ($55) which is nice, with the condensed milk provided to dip for those who like the pairing.
For dessert we had Red Bean Pancake ($75). The red bean paste is nice, appropriately sweetened but not overly so, with the pancake deep-fried but not showing much oiliness. A great conclusion to the meal.
The service is overall decent, but like most Chinese restaurants there is no sufficient interactions from the staff to diners, explaining the dishes or checking in the food. The bill was $1,237 and for 3 person I think the price is very reasonable and if you like spicy food, this one is a good recommendation.
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