Contrary to what most people would believe, Sichuan cuisine is not all about mouth-numbing spice – although it is famous for it. In fact, the majority of Sichuan dishes sit on a spectrum of spicy, sweet, sour, savoury, smoky and aromatic. And at Grand Majestic Sichuan, Head Chef Robert Wong delivers, alongside Sichuan cuisine-expert Fuchsia Dunlop, the dynamic combination of flavours native to his hometown Chengdu perfectly.
Not merely a Sichuan restaurant, it goes above and beyond expectations with plentiful attention to detail, from the food to the service and even the ambience. Striking red velvet upholstery, lush carpets, lavish interiors dressed in marble, silk and Gucci wallpaper, and a spacious terrace with a view of Central’s high rises, Grand Majestic Sichuan transports diners to Hong Kong of the ’60s, an era of luxurious nightclubs.
Even a trip to the washroom is made memorable with the unique experience of pouring a flute of Champagne and spraying on Chanel No.5. “We like to say that we offer good Sichuan cuisine with European service,” notes Wong.
After an impressive tour of the restaurant – a precursor of its eclectic delights–we sit down to sample a selection of signatures, beginning with three cold dishes. Deng Ying Niu Rou is wafer-thin beef tossed with chilli oil and sesame seeds. Its delicate, crispy texture results from the finely sliced beef being dehydrated, steamed, then fried – an interesting twist to the chewier Bak Kwa jerky many people are familiar with.
Next is the classic cold offering of Bang Bang Ji – poached and shredded “three-yellow” chicken tossed in spicy peppercorn oil and doused with mildly sweet, nutty sesame sauce. The tender meat of the distinctive local bird, beloved for the fatty layer under its skin, yields rich bursts of flavour that balance savouriness, subtle sweetness, as well as mouth-tingling sensations.
Calming the palate after the heat of the opening dishes is Liang Ban Wo Sun Si, a plate of chilled celtuce strips lightly kissed by Sichuan peppercorn and chilli oil, then garnished with sesame seeds – it is nutty, aromatic and slightly tingly, but a refreshing change of pace from the richer profiles of the beef and chicken.
Wong’s knowledge and techniques shine through, in particular, in the mains. “We try to keep everything simple and classic, and we use the freshest and best ingredients so our dishes are healthier. For example, we use grapeseed oil, never lard, and no MSG. We prepare our own broths and preserve and marinate our own ingredients,” says the chef.“It’s been much tougher to get ingredients from Sichuan during the pandemic, so the way I see it is, if we can’t get it we’ll make it ourselves.
Their “firecracker chicken”, Chongqing La Zi Ji, uses the local yellow chicken and a generous serving of “facing heaven” chillies. The chicken is served boneless yet its tender, juicy meat bursts in a complexity of salty, spicy and fragrant flavours. This subtle detail speaks volumes of the skill and technicalities that sets the restaurant apart from other Sichuan diners.
However, it is Suan Cai Yu, a popular Sichuan fish stew, that surprised us the most. Absent of spicy and numbing essences, but rather bursting in mouth-watering and aromatic fragance, this sour soup delights with the slightest hint of sweetness is accompanied by a succulent, fatty fish. Traditionally, the recipe calls for golden pomfret, but instead Grand Majestic Sichuan uses line-caught grouper, caught locally by a fisherman who works closely with the restaurant, and the innovation improves texture, aroma and flavour. It comes with mustard greens that have been pickled in-house in a special marinade.
Saving the finest for last, Ma Po Dou Fu, may be the highlight of the meal. Bursting with a full body of flavour despite a more restrained use of peppercorn oil, the sauce’s rich umami hails from grass-fed beef chopped by hand and oil rendered from Ibérico ham. Simplistic in its nature, but robust with a unique savoury kick, this rendition of the popular tofu dish has been billed by some as “the best in town”, and with that, we concur.
Grand Majestic Sichuan. 3/F, Shop 301, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Road, Central. (852) 2151 1299. grandmajesticsichuan.com
Text & Photos: Roberliza Eugenio