RESTAURANT: Red Chilli Szechuan (Dixon St, Chinatown)

The Red Chilli Szechuan restaurant chain has expanded all over Sydney. But before Chatswood, before Burwood, before Glebe, before Chinatown v2 there was Dixon Street.

And it's where I fell in love with Szechuan food. The numbing heat, the sweetness, the sourness

Since that first date I've probably been back to Red Chilli Szechuan a dozen or so times. Other Szechuan places are nice enough, but they just haven't got the same balance that Red Chilli does.

Their mapo tofu is outstanding and is a constant order. As is the century egg with tofu or green chilli. Anything they do involving pork belly is outstanding, but I'm a fan of the pork belly with bamboo shoots. And the stir-fried dishes also deserve a look in, most packing a ridiculous amount of flavour and texture.

And always, always the food is washed down with some of the coldest Tsingtaos around, that always arrive within six seconds of being ordered.

I wouldn't say that this branch of Red Chilli is a fancy looking restaurant, but it's definitely a cool and comfortable space, both very important qualities to have when you're eating food that spicy. Service is quick, efficient and easy to get the attention of, which adds to the comfort of the place. And prices are also extremely reasonable.

The inevitable rectal burn the next day from such consuming copious amounts of fierce chilli may be intense/ungodly, but with the food this great it's totally worth it.


RATING: Will constantly return to [?]