Spice up your life- Sze Chuan Cuisine in London

Sze chuan cuisine has become very popular in recent years, with restaurants pouring out all over London. I have tried most of the restaurants to bring you my absolute favourites. Below I am going to show you the most popular and which place I had it.

Fish Chilli Pot
Tian Fu Bu Yi (Shepherds Bush)

Fresh fish, marinated and wok fried. This fish pot is packed with spices and pepper, giving you an instant rise of temperature in this freezing cold weather! Best served with rice to calm down the hotness.

Boiled rice noodles in spicy and sour soup
Tian Fu Bu Yi (Shepherds Bush)

If you like spicy and sour, this is for you. the clear glass noodles are chewy and not soft. It is soaked in a spicy broth made with chilli and vinegar.

"Mouth-watering" Chicken RRP £7
Tian Fu Bu Yi (Shepherds Bush)

EDITOR's FAVOURITE: In case you don't know, Chinese people hate chicken breasts and all sorts of dry meat. We expect our meat to be juicy and moist; freshness is another must, of course. This mouth-watering chicken delivers exactly what it says- It is Mouth-watering. Served cold, this dish is marinated in vinegar, chilli, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and other ingredients. Very refreshing appetizer.

(Dining tip: This dish is very mild. If you prefer it sweet, try the one in MY OLD PLACE.)

Spicy Fish cooked in chilli oil and pepper RRP£21
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

EDITOR's FAVOURITE:This is probably the most popular dish out there- you would sure hear people mention this when talking about Sze Chuan. My favourite is this one from My Old Place. A whole fresh fish (even the head!) is used to make this. Don't be afraid of the chili, it goes perfect with rice and just about gives it a kick of flavour- very impressive! and a MUST TRY!

Fish in pickled and vegetable soup
Tian Fu Bu Yi (Shepherds Bush)

Not a fan of spicy? No problem. Try this pickled version instead. The soup base is made with Chinese pickles and vegetables; the fish is seasoned with salt, pepper, sugar, sesame oil etc. This is incredibly good for those with a cold. The soup is drinkable too!

Ma Po Tofu with minced meat
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

Tofu is a very popular type of food in Asia. It is made out of soy beans and contains high source of protein. There are many ways to cook tofu, but doing a Sze Chuan style, it has to have some spice! This tofu is cooked with marinated minced pork and sweet chilli. It goes perfectly well with rice!.

Steamed Pork and Vegetable Dumplings
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

Who doesn't love dumplings! This home made style plate tastes nothing like the frozen ones you get from Chinese supermarkets. Each one is stuffed with chopped mince pork and vegetables. You can get vegetarian ones too. All this for £10.50! Bargain!

Patted cucumber with garlic sauce
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

This pickled cucumber mixed with chop garlic and vinegar is a very refreshing appetiser to get you ready for the heavy flavoured main course that you are going to order (all the above). Served cold.

Deep fried "Squirreal" fish
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

The spikes of meat surrounding the fish is actually the fish itself. The fish is cut in criss-cross mode and then deep fried. A layer of sweet and sour sauce is then pour on top to give it a strong, tasty flavour. serves good with rice.

Grilled seasoned lamb skewers
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

This dish is so popular that every customer orders at least one each when they visit. Each lamb skewers are marinated with five spices and other Chinese herbs. If this is what you like, you will love this. However, those who are not used to strong flavours might find this a little overwhelming. Nonetheless, definitely worth trying!

Deep fried pumpkin sticky rice cakes
(My Old Place, Liverpool Street)

Want some dessert to balance out all the spice you just had? This is one you cannot miss. These sticky rice puddings uses fresh dough and are deep fried as you order. It is crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. The pumpkin flavour is just right. Those who don't have a sweet tooth will still love this!

Disclaimer: Review above is a mere personal opinion.

Click below for more information on recommended restaurants:

Tian Fu Bu Yi:

My Old Place  (Note the menu on the website is very outdated)