Snazz Sichuan

Last year it was Bar Shu in Soho & now the eccentrically decorated Snazz Sichuan is the latest restaurant on a mission to show Londoners there’s more to Chinese cooking than Cantonese. Szechuan cuisine is most famous for its liberal use of chilli & peppercorns & the hot & numbing experience these induce. Pig’s ear with Szechuan chilli is slightly musky in flavour & has a satisfyingly resistant texture. Ma po dou fu is silky tofu set off by finely minced beef, & a vast pile of king prawns (typical of the huge portions) lies atop a heap of peppers & dried chillis. Meanwhile, a side order of sliced cucumber with sesame acts as a cooling agent. There’s no denying it’s all very eye-opening, but the insistent hit of chilli in the majority of dishes means there’s a somewhat one-dimensional quality to the cooking, & there will be many who find a meal here interesting rather than enjoyable.