Wow! It was nearly four years since my last review so we went for exploration last night. Definitely, management has been changed since my first visit. Ordering system adopt the method of Mainland China with the whole menu on a broad and diners have to go at the front to choose what they night then place order with the wait-staff.
We ordered two small cold dishes and two mains. Cold dishes of Scalded beef tripe won our appreciation in terms of presentation and the spicy dips for the tripe. Taste of pig head meat salad was perfectly balanced. On the contrary, both mains were let down. The lamb chops with cumin and the eggplant with shrimp hot pot were both too oily. Therefore, dining experience was so so…..
Rating 3.5/5
July 02, 2015 Rating 3.5/5
Have not been to Sichuan Spice for a while, so went there last week to refresh my taste buds. Unfortunately, there was a notice on the front door to say that this restaurant is temporary closed for renovation (wish this is not the excuse!). Withdraw from my memory, they do provide reasonable quality of food and the price is acceptable. They have a nice set-up and the training of wait-staff is good (particularly during grand opening). To be honest, I really do not think that they need to have face-lift, so.......... I do hope that I can go in again and see how is the new look of this restaurant.
Great Sichuan style Chinese food. Food was very spicy, but delicious! If you can't handle heat, please don't come here. I don't think they have English menu, but you can look at picture on the wall to order your dishes.
Dishes taste pretty authentic, good menu,fast serving of dishes. Acceptable price. The waitresses do need to be trained more, not feeling friendly.
Massive plates of spicy goodness. Nice and loud and feels like a time warp. Pretty much what you want from a Sunnybank experience. Not much to drink (4x being the only beer on offer), but hell, that's nothing to cry about, do you really need pointless craft beers at every place you go...?
A busy restaurant is normally a good sign and Sichuan Spice certainly had the punters rolling in just after opening. Upon entering I smiled looking around to see a beautiful and restrained, but definately Chinese dining room. Lovely partitions with good space between tables and a tasteful selection of music added ambience too.
Ordering is bit left of field. No menu and table orders here that I was offered. Next to the entry is a large display of backlit photos of the dishes available. A very good selection but hot and cold dishes are all mixed together. The english names are in quite small and hard to read font, and the dish numbers are mostly out of sequence. A staff member will attend to you here but English skills are non existent or minimal but I suggest battling through it. Pointing and nodding eventually you'll get there and be shown a table. And if you look like me you may have to explain for the hundedth time that you want spicy food and don't need a knife and fork.
My cold dish went missing and I had to wait for it while my main sat waiting. But the food is worth it all. The tripe with fresh chilli was fresh and the dipping sauce is perfectly judged. Complex light punchy balanced.... I could go on. Beef in chilli oil that wasn't too oily. Gorgeous to look at and not as hot as expected but not lacking either. It's taken some time for me to find, but here is a place who's dishes stand up to better known Sichuan establishments in Syd and Melb.
Language barrier aside the staff put in the effort to ensure I was happy and got what I wanted. In another couple of visits we'll have a better understanding of each other. Quick service from the kitchen, the drinks selection is about average as well. Don't come expecting cheap prices. I think they offer good value for the taste and size but maybe try elsewhere if funds are short.
Go back for more? Hell yeah. Best Sichuan taste I've found in Brisbane with the looks to match.
Walking into this place will bring you to somewhere in Asia and, by somewhere in Asia, I mean China. Interiors reminded me of many Chinese restaurants I have been to outside Australia. Lots of big round table that fits about 10 people with an oversized lazy Susan in the middle. The shop was also packed full of Asian people. That to me is a sign that they're serving something good/authentic here.
Sichuan Chinese is my favourite Chinese food because of its spicy, big, and bold flavours. If you don't like spicy food, this is definitely not the place for you. They do not provide individual menu here which means you have to get up and order what you want from a big board they have at the front completed with pictures, brief description, and prices. The prices are reasonable as well.
We had a chance to try over ten dishes off the menu. All were really tasty and more-ish. Our tongue started to burn towards the end but it was worth it. The same impression we got when we were down in Melbourne having this type of cuisine at a famous restaurant over there. Food came out quick. Very generous portion size. A slight problem was a language barrier cause not all the wait staff can speak English.
Standouts were Sichuan Beef Soup $19, Cold chicken entree $10. We also tried Frog legs soup $59 of which the taste and texture does resemble those of chicken if I say so myself. We will definitely go back for more. Highly recommended for people who enjoy hotness and spiciness of Sichuan Chinese cuisine.
Slick Chef Extraordinaire. Gangster Of Food.
+5
Best Sichuan in Brisbane! I came here last night with 20 friends for a birthday celebration. The food was absolutely amazing! I will definitely be back to sample some more of the menu, some favorites were the frog soup, the beef hotpot and chicken stir fry. They do have some basic wines and beers available but you can also BYO. We had a great night and will definitely be back! Thank you for having us Sichuan Spice and sorry if we were a little too rowdy hahaha
Their fish is a must try. It's authentic and I really love the fish - must try! I had no problem with their service. I like spicy foods and this is rally spicy enough for me, as many others don't make them as strong as the food meant to be. The tomato soup fish is a nice non-spicy alternative.
The Invisible Food Critic
+4.5
Cane here a while ago as I recall only a few dishes r good, mainly average. Very nice deco and service was great. I'd like to return for another try soon, I rate it 6/10
The fish! The fish!. Their signature fish dish was so nice that itself would be worth another visit! Service was a bit hit and miss as the older lady was very helpful but crippled by a few not so efficient and 'eye contact avoiding' waiters but I have come to expect that as a norm in Chinese restaurants. I would still come back for the fish even if I have to serve myself!
Boiled beef and chicken in chilli are the best dishes according to my experience. Ambience is good.
Very poor service and long wait needed.
If you like spicy food and if you order one among the two mentioned above I am sure u will not be disappointed.
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