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Red 'N' Hot

59 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0NE Full details & map

Restaurant: Sichuanese

Time Out says 3 Users say 3/5 Rate it

By Time Out Editors Posted: Jan 29 2010

Even the most courageous fire-eater could meet his match at Red 'N' Hot, where authentic Sichuan cuisine comes spiced to the point of spontaneous combustion. Black faux marble tables and red upholstered chairs make an oddly tranquil setting in which to explore the limits of chilli power, unleashed on everything from lungs and intestines to frogs' legs and tripe. We settled for a dish of dry-fried king prawns (plenty of them) in cumin and dried chillis (plenty of them, too), infernal enough to have us sweating profusely despite its displaying just one pepper out of three on the menu's temperature scale. Intensity notwithstanding, it was a delicious and disarmingly subtle dish, as was a similarly searing side of aubergines with red and green peppers.

Tags: Asian, Chinese, Sichuanese, Budget, Restaurant

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Red 'N' Hot details

Address

Red 'N' Hot

59 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0NE

Transport Leicester Square tube

Telephone

020 7734 8796

Red 'N' Hot website

Lunch served noon-2.30pm, dinner served 6-10.50pm daily.

Main courses £3.50-£7.80. Set meal £12-£16 per person (minimum 2). Unlicensed. Corkage no charge.

Credit cards MC, V

Red 'N' Hot map

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Comments & ratings 3/5 (Average of 3 ratings)

By Lewis - Feb 4 2012

I totally agree with Tom. I have also lived in China and my gf is from South East Asia so we know a far bit about Chinese food and this place is fantastic! The food is 100% authentic Chinese. We go here very regularly and love the cuisine which is always spot on.

Unfortunately, what has been said in the other reviews about the service is also accurate. The service is appalling. My gf and I go to this restaurant about twice a month - sometimes more - and the staff never seem to recognise us and treat us with just as much distain as they did when we first went there. We only go back because the food is so good.

I have also been to this same restaurant in Beijing and in Birmingham and the service there was fine - the staff in the London restaurant are by far the worst. However, as has been previously said this kind of service is quite common in mainland China. That said, give it a try just for the amazing, authentic Chinese food!

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By Tom - Sep 28 2011

5/5

I've been living in China for 5 years and my wife's Chinese, and both of us love this place. The food's authentic and at a fairly good price. Yes, service isn't top, but unfortunately that's how many mainland Chinese restaurants are. Been twice and paid around £10 per head and will keep coming back! Best in the area.

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By Marcus - Jun 19 2011

1/5

This restaurant was very disappointing. We ordered the spicy hot pot (all you can eat for a set price) and some drinks. The price was reasonable but the service from the staff was appalling.

They really could not care less about the customers once food had been ordered.
The only way to actually get attention was to walk up to the payment area and ask, then to be given some dirty evil look by the staff.
The owners of this restaurant need to go on a spying mission to see how staff actually treat their customers.

The decoration was slightly tired and the toilets and hand washing facilities were dirty. Soap to wash hands had run out.

Never again, but as this area of London is so busy, this restaurant will continue to keep giving bad service because the turnover of people that visit London is its only reason why it is still in business.

To conclude, there are many excellent alternatives if you want Chinese food.
Give this one a miss. And as for the staff, they need to learn some manners!

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By Shaolin Loke - Aug 20 2010

I have been here a few times and I enjoy the hot pot. Can be a bit expensive but if you like Sichuan food this place is good by UK standards. Usually when I go the bill comes to around £60+ for 2 of us for hot pot, drinks and service charge. Therefore its an every so often luxury.

If visiting on Friday evening I recommend to book table as they do get busy. Its gets very warm inside too!

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By ttt - Mar 21 2010

It was the worst experience ever!!!!!!!! Me and my boyfriend went to the restaurant one of Sunday
only 3 tables of customer in the restaurant.
Total bill: 53 pound
We ordered 3 main dishes (spicy crabs/beef tripe / Sichuan style chicken)
1: service:
No one greet us and sit us, I been waiting for 20 minute to order my drink ,when I ready to order called one of waiter he just walked away and send other waitress after
5 minutes .during the food I request some napkins I been waiting for 10 minutes as well.
2: food
Spicy crab it wasn’t whole crab , in the dish you even can’t find the craw and the crab not fresh at all.
Chicken it was way too salty and inside is red.
Beef tripe was too salty as well (I even ordered extra drink because of that)
Fried rice and noodles just average.
3: atmosphere
Unpleasant smell
Also the table next to us the customer are really loud because most of them get drunk that’s why the keep shout and swear. (None of the member of staff say anything about it )
Over all I won’t go back to this restaurant ever again .really disappointed not recommend at all.

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By tracy - Mar 21 2010

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By Frank - Mar 21 2010

I thought this place was fantastic. I'm a big fan of Sichuan food after reading Fuschia Dunlop's books. I can handle hot food and found this place magical. The clientele is mostly chinese which I always take as a good sign. This usually means they treat non-mandarin non-cantonese speakers a bit dismissively. However the waitress was helpful, telling us about the dipping sauces for the hot pot and explaining what things were and how cook/eat things.

What a refreshing change from 'My Old Place' - where I feel treated like a second rate customer and am constantly frustrated by the very limited English language menu compared to the exhaustive Chinese menu. Things couldn't be more different at Red Hot.

Best place for Sichuan food I've found so far