M y love affair with Sichuan food began just over a decade ago. At the height of this whirlwind romance, I barely went out to eat in London if Sichuan food wasn’t by my side – both returning to tried and tested favourites but also exploring new spots. For the uninitiated, Sichuan food originates from the Sichuan province and the next-door Chongqing municipality in the southwest of China.
Sichuan food is known for its bold, spicy flavours, with some dishes feeling like a firework of flavours in the mouth. It is a varied cuisine, with dishes for those who are apprehensive or antagonistic towards chilli. Sichuan food obliterates most Britons’ preconceptions and misconceptions about Chinese food.
Many continue to wrongly assume Chinese food is synonymous with Cantonese food and not the country’s regional cuisines. Home to 1.4 billion humans, China is also home to an eclectic variety of foods.
For those keen to try a wider range of Chinese food ahead of the Lunar New Year starting on 29 January, here are some of the best Chinese restaurants I have tried in the capital. This list is not exhaustive – there are many incredible restaurants out there to discover. Places like Hunan in Pimlico, Chilli Cool in Bloomsbury, Chang’s Noodles in Holborn, Dim Sum Duck in Kings Cross, JWD Lamian in Bishopsgate, Aquila in Leytonstone and Bin Bin Barbecue in Fitzrovia are other firm favourites well worth a try.
The name My Old Place perfectly encapsulates my relationship to this restau.
