San Qi Shi Fang

It’s a good thing the Sichuan food at San Qi Shi Fang is so conservative because the décor verges on frantic. Every surface of its interior is covered with red sofas, curving white banquettes, murals of silhouetted trees, snowflakes dangling from the ceiling, and – best of all – chandeliers made from upside-down pilsner glasses. To stave off giddiness, focus on the food.

Several pages of San Qi’s lengthy menu veer away from Sichuan, but ask for the tese cai (house specialities) and staff will highlight the authentic Sichuan options. San Qi’s cooks practice restraint with the Sichuan peppercorns and fiery chillies to bring out just enough heat to seduce but not so much to extinguish other flavours. A prime example is the cold dish cui xun (21RMB), bamboo shoots tossed in an oil lightly infused with Sichuan peppercorns. Another highlight is the qiang guo yu (57RMB), a small carp that is butterflied, deep-fried and then blanketed with red and green chillies, preserved black beans, peanuts and dried chillies coated in sesame seeds.