Restaurants

By Charmaine Mok

It arrived by stealth, but created a tempest of interest. Ba Shan is the third opening by the same team who launched Sichuanese and northern Chinese cuisine into the spotlight, first via Bar Shu (currently closed for a refurb), then Baozi Inn – already two of the top spots for Chinese food in London.

The black-painted frontage offers no insight into the exquisite food and impossibly cheery service. Our waitresses explained each dish beautifully, with an excitement that can only come from having full confidence in the kitchen’s abilities.

The several rooms of this multi-floored restaurant are small and tightly spaced, and the wooden screens and exposed grey bricks evoke the feel of an old-style tea house. There’s a sense of familiarity about the folksy interior, but apart from the design, Ba Shan is not a mere carbon copy of its predecessors.

There are some similar menu items – the focus is still firmly placed on the dishes of Sichuan province and its capital, Chengdu – and there are the requisite noodles and rice dishes, but what sets this place apart is its ‘xiao chi’ menu, not dissimilar to the Spaniards and their tapas, nor the Cantonese with their dim sum.

Literally meaning ‘small eats’ in Mandarin, the menu is dominated by tiny treats inspired by the snack vendors that roam the streets of Chengdu. The diversity of the kitchen is commendable, with chefs from not only Sichuan, but also from north-western Henan and bordering Shaanxi province; the latter is the home of one of China’s major snack cities, Xi’an.

Dumplings are nearly synonymous with Xi’an, the ancient capital city of China, where the famous ‘dumpling banquet’ – a celebration of the many variations of dumplings available – has its origins. So, we were suitably impressed by the Xi’an-style pan-fried guotie – also sometimes known as ‘pot stickers’ in the West – served with a vinegar and soy dipping sauce. The thin casings, rolled up like flat cigars, were perfectly cooked so that they were golden and crisp on the bottom, and the minced pork and chinese chive filling remaining delectably moist.

Sichuanese chaoshou (large wonton-like dumplings), a signature snack from Chengdu, came drenched in excellent chilli oil, soy sauce and garlic – though, like at Baozi Inn, we found the spice level dramatically toned down. Those more accustomed to the full, fiery flavours of Sichuan may come away slightly disappointed.

Also from Xi’an, we sampled a refreshing delicacy perhaps more commonly attributed to Beijing. Tudousi is a dish of very finely shredded potatoes, stir-fried and seasoned with vinegar and chilli. Here, the Xi’an version is served chilled, with deep, dark dried red chillies and a smattering of tongue-tingling sichuan peppercorns (huajiao). This was, hands-down, the best rendition of the dish we’ve sampled in London.

Shaanxi jia mo is a small, filled flatbread (own-made, springy and warm) that resembles a canape-sized western hamburger, comes in two miniature portions, each almost like thicker versions of folded-over blinis.These tiny sandwiches, served warm and in small, folded paper parcels, are traditionally filled with lamb; here, you can choose from tender stewed pork, cumin-scented beef, or pressed beancurd strips with shredded vegetables.

Less successful were the larger dishes – Beijing-style zhajiang mian was oversauced, while a steaming bowl of Shaanxi soup noodles with pork, beancurd and a ‘hot and fragrant sizzling oil’ was unbalanced in its flavours, with an overpowering sour note. However, in both cases the noodles themselves were well made (as well as made on the premises), and our criticisms are small gripes in comparison to the excellent small eats that formed the majority of our meal.

While it may be tempting to fill up with the rice and noodle dishes, we’d recommend filling the table with the likes of tiny bowls of dumplings, plates of steamed ‘lotus leaf’ buns, dishes of fish-fragrant broad beans... it might not hold a candle to xiao chi restaurants in Chengdu where dozens of small dishes are presented to diners for the price equivalent of a pound, but this is likely to be the closest we’ll find in London.

Time Out London March 2009