Brisbane restaurants: Review of Chinese restaurant Sichuan Bang Bang in Paddington

I CAME prepared for my lips to tingle, my nose to run and my eyes to water. The food here is amazing but as far as being hot - forget about it!

Sichuan Bang Bang at Given Terrace, Paddington. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

I love chilli. I once won a ghost chilli wing eating competition against a trio of Brisbane Lions players, downing 22 wings with a colleague (11 each) compared with their meagre three
between three.

So it was with great excitement I arrived at Sichuan Bang Bang in Paddington – the latest venue in an ever-expanding empire that includes eateries at Kenmore and soon Wilston for restaurateur Renata Roberts.

Sichuan cuisine is known for its bold flavours and intense spices from the generous use of chillies and Sichuan pepper, and I came prepared for my lips to tingle, my nose to run and my eyes to water – all in the best possible way, of course.

The menu features a little symbol to indicate the level of spice, with three symbols indicating the hottest.

Dipping our toes in the water before diving in, we began with the symbol-free lamb version of Peking duck pancakes ($16). Sweet, savoury, crunchy and soft, these DIY morsels heroed the brilliant, deep-fried, crisp-edged, juicy-centred strips of shredded lamb alongside the supporting cast of cucumber, spring onions and hoisin.

Another symbol-less star was the ho fan beef ($19), featuring tender, thin slices of steak coated in a beautifully balanced black bean and soy sauce tossed through rice noodles and al dente triangles of onion and capsicum that provided textural contrast.

The crisyp duck from Sichuan Bang Bang. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

Up next, the one-symbol crispy duck ($20). The bird had been battered and fried to give a crispy coating, but by the time it reached our table, the batter was soggy, while the slick of Sichuan chilli sauce didn’t even register a mere tickle on the tongue in terms of spice.

It was time to up the fire with the two-symbol Sichuan wok-fried eggplant with minced pork in chilli sauce ($19).

Slippery, soft pillars of eggplants and exiguous flecks of pork mince swam in a thickened, syrupy sauce that was just on the right side of being too sweet.

As for the spice, it was as cool as the giant, softball-sized deep-fried ice-cream with strawberry sauce ($9) we had for dessert. Tasty, definitely, but not worthy of two symbols.

Also promising two-star spice was the kung pao chicken chow mein ($20) – an intensely flavourful dish humming with ginger and texturally diverse with tender strips of chicken, firm vegetables and crunchy chow mein noodles.

It had a subtle chilli end note, but it was no lip quiverer.

Perhaps the three-symbol Sichuan beef or fish hot pot ($23) would have had the ear-steaming spice I was craving.

Despite my nostrils failing to flare, the food is, unquestionably, delicious. Each dish uses simple ingredients to create vibrant flavours that are a far cry from your average, stodgy Chinese takeaway.

The drinks list is also far superior to those we’ve come to expect at Asian eateries, offering signature cocktails, Chinese beer and a diverse range of wine styles from across the globe, including a Chinese cabernet gernischt and a number of Queensland drops from different labels.

With friendly, eager-to-please staff manning the floor and a smart and modern fitout with a distinct Asian edge without being kitsch, the crowds should continue to pour into this Paddington newcomer.