This was previously Snazz Sichuan, my favourite Sichuan restaurant in London that has been taken over by the Red ‘N’ Hot group. As checked out by Kake, the same chef remains in place.
What we had and what I thought-
Hot and numbing beef- disappointing, despite the numbing and spicy effect the beef tasted of anything but.
Fire exploded kidney flowers was tender and excellent. The kidneys were obviously cleaned and rinsed thoroughly as the weewee smell was absent.
Sichuan-style pig's blood mix- absolutely gorgeous, the Spam added to the bowl was a bonus. If you can eat white tofu, then the cubes of pig’s blood tastes more or less the same. Highly recommended.
Mr Noodles' choice of special fried chicken with dry chilli and cumin- another brilliant dish, I didn’t mind sweating like the proverbial gnawing on those deep-fried chilles!
Fish soup with pickled vegetables- not a patch on my previous visits, lacked the acidity of the pickled greens. The sea bass fillets were perfectly cooked though.
Pea shoots in rich broth- portion was huge for a veg dish, but thankfully not overcooked. The dish needed a bit more seasoning as it was bordering on being bland.
Dan dan noodles- better than the consistently overcooked shite served at Chilli Cool but Barshu is still the best.
Zhong's crescent dumplings- no complaints, ‘harmonious victuals for make benefit glorious nation of China’
I’m not convinced that the old kitchen cooks of Snazz Sichuan have been retained here in its entirety, the dishes I ate lacked the wow factor. But as tossup between its neighbour Chilli Cool and Red ‘N’ Hot, I would go for the latter. The service here is helpful and friendly and the ambience is a lot more comfy. As for now Barshu is still my favourite destination for Sichuan food, it’s expensive, so save up.
Full credit to Red ‘N’ Hot for being transparent (unheard of in Chinese restaurants) with their no-nonsense fully itemised and descriptive bills.
37 Chalton Street
Euston,
London NW1 1JD
www.rednhotgroup.com
