Barshu
Soho, London
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To put it mildly, ’this is really a place for people who love spice,’ commented one visitor to Barshu – a no-nonsense exponent of uncompromising, full-throttle Szechuan cuisine on the fringes of Soho Chinatown. Spread over two floors, it’s dressed up with stone carvings, Chinese opera masks, colourful wall panels and shrines with fruit offerings. Expect a cosmopolitan crowd, who are here for palate-tingling thrills and gastronomic curiosities: anyone for marinated bran dough, a broth of braised pig’s stomach, 'pock-marked old woman beancurd' or deep-fried glutinous rice cake with melted brown sugar? Ingredients are variously ‘water-boiled’, dry-wokked, pounded, smacked and stewed – and that’s just the beginning. To order, simply mark up your choices on the sheets of paper provided. The roast sea bass is a best-seller, a crisp-skinned whole fish enlivened with two types of Szechuan peppercorns, various chillies, garlic, lotus root, cauliflower and tofu skin; order a bowl of steamed rice to soak up the signature ‘numbing and spicy sauce’, plus some greens such as garlicky stir-fried morning glory. If you really can't stand the heat, there are also some milder dishes including steamed scallops with bean-thread noodles. Portions are big, flavours are bang-on authentic and it’s great fun – just don’t expect to hang around for too long: speedy, efficient staff are rigorous when it comes to table turning. Drink Chinese wine, sake, beer and/or tea.
