By Mr. Taste
The very thought of Sichuan peppers is enough to make my mouth salivate uncontrollably with tingling numbness. Most people I know purposely avoid biting these, afraid of unleashing a knockout punch to their face. Truly the badassest spice, the peppers were banned in the US from 1968-2005 because of the asskicking it would’ve unleashed on the American public.
One of our favourite Sichuan restaurants is Red Chilli Sichuan, which offers two branches in Chinatown and one in Burwood. We visited the upstairs Chinatown branch once for all-you-can-eat hotpot and we are yet to visit the new downstairs branch down the street. However, we come to Burwood branch quite regularly to appease our sichuan pepper cravings.
Stewed Sliced Fish with Sichuan Chilli and Pickled Vegetables $28.80
Featured on the “Chef Recommendations” page in the menu is the Stewed Sliced Fish with Sichuan Chilli and Pickled Vegetables. With a maximum of 3 chilli icons, this dish is no doubt our favourite here.
Bits of white fish, chinese cabbage and sour pickled cabbage floating in an extremely flavourful stew filled with garlic, tiny green chillies, tiny red chillies and plenty of sichuan peppers (and probably a jar of MSG). The soup is incredibly addictive, each mouthful delivers an assortment of different flavours.
Boiled Pork Slices in Garlic and Chilli Oil $9.80
Boiled Pork Slices in Garlic and Chilli Oil is a cold dish and has only 2 chilli icons on the menu. There’s no confusion here, thin slices of fatty pork belly drenched in a deliciously unique garlic chilli oil and the ever present sichuan peppers, topped with sesame seeds. Totally addictive and totally delicious. Once I’m finished with the pork, I cover my rice with the delicious oil to prolong the flavour with each further mouthful.
Other favourites here include the Dan Dan Noodles $7.80 and the Spicy Soup in both lamb, fish and chicken varieties $22.80.
The restaurant is quite tiny. There are only 6-7 tightly packed tables downstairs, while upstairs has a few extra circular tables. Expect to wait outside in the freezing cold with international students in their under-dressed outfits and cigarette smoke.
As with most Chinese restaurants nowadays, any special requests or assistance with the menu items are totally lost in translation (want no nuts? Ok, here’s extra nuts for you). I saw a gentleman walk in and ask for the takeaway menu a few times, only to be met with blank stares before being ushered out.
That said, the service here is very prompt and the tables are turned around very quickly – and that’s all that really matters doesn’t it?
Rice $2 per person
Tea $1 per person
Red Chilli Sichuan
35C Burwood Road Burwood
# 02 9745 2258
http://www.redchillirestaurant.com.au/
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. I suspect they haven’t updated it for 10 years haha. I’ve heard good things about the one in Glebe but have yet to try it. There’s also a new Sichuan place in Eastwood but last time I suggested it to Ms. Taste, she swiftly rejected (“no, if you want Sichuan we go to Burwood”)
