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Dramatic Chinese opera masks, big lanterns and ornate wooden screens help create excitement in this corner restaurant in the bustling heart of Soho. So too does the menu. Bar Shu is one of the few London restaurants dedicated to Sichuanese food: a cuisine characterised by fiery chilli and numbing sichuan pepper. The menu provides clear descriptions and photographs of most dishes, but (thankfully) all our food looked better than portrayed. We began with a cold dish of cucumber, wood-ear fungus, bean-jelly ribbon (like a chewy noodle) and beancurd skin. This came with spicy pork, which the waitress told us about when we ordered, and a delicious sauce of chinkiang vinegar, soy sauce and sugar to toss through the salad. Hot and sour soup was thick but more peppery than sour, while fiery dan dan noodles were delightfully tangy. Next, chengdu dry-braised sea bass combined meltingly tender fish with a complex spicy sauce. Flavoursome gong bao chicken had crunch provided by peanuts and thick, dried sichuan chillies.There was a great choice of Chinese greens, and service was extremely helpful. Bar Shu isnt for the faint-hearted, but its a joy to taste such wonderfully authentic flavours.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
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Second time visited Bar Shu. I had very good experience with them in the first time. Fanstanic food, no complain on service.
However bad experience from last nite. Made reservation for 18.30, late arrival at 19.00 (no courteous call). Went upstair, we declined twice to sit the table we want for four. Fair enough, though no customers arrive till end of our meal. Inflexible table arrangement!!
Quick food serving. During the meal, numerous attempts to get attention for service but lack of courteous and shift respond when waving for service; ice water without a single cube of ice; tea pot filling was slow.
Abt an hour later, staffs came to speak to us, 'we have to leave in 15 mins due to another booking was made for another customer' and one was supervisor insisted he told me we have to leave by 20.00 as we were late. I refused to leave as I never been told when booking was made and on arrival. The supervisor turned a straight face on me and walked away without a apology. How the hell would a restaruant only allow customers to stay for just 1.5 hour??
My comment abt Bar Shu was lack of customer handling skill and poor service.
I hv to admit that the food was very good but appealling service. I'll never visit again and wont recommend Bar Shu to anyone demand top service and restaurant experience.
Mr Johnny
07-08-2008