Sichuan restaurant review: Sijie in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
A hole-in-the-wall with the best Sichuan cold noodles in Hong Kong
The first time I heard of Sijie was at a media tasting in 2017. I was sat with a group of Editors and freelancers and the conversation, as it often does, turned to the best places to eat [insert name of a cuisine here] in town. That night, our side of the table discussed Sichuan food and so plans were made to meet up at a highly recommended place called Sijie in Causeway Bay. A few weeks later, I was introduced to its deliciously numbing dishes, healthy portion sizes, and vibrant hole-in-the-wall charm. Recently I went back again to visit some of the dishes I remember fondly as well as to try some new ones.
Note that pricing is an easy $340 per person, and the restaurant advises on how many dishes to order based on the size of your party. For our party of two, this meant two appetizers and three main courses.
Appetizers
We opted for the Sichuan Cold Noodles and the Pork Belly in Spicy Garlic Sauce. The noodles are one of Sijie’s two signature dishes and an absolute must order. I remembered it fondly from my first visit, and my memory served me well. It’s just the right amount of numbing spice with pungent fresh garlic atop chewy noodles.
The pork belly was a new dish for me but I liked it almost as much as the noodles. This dish is also served cold so the texture of the pork and fat ribbons is quite chewy but it has that great pork-y flavour that isn’t lost in the spicy, sharp sauce.
Main Courses
The other one of Sijie’s signature dishes is the Chongqing-style Poached Fish. This is served in a large bowl filled with bright red peppers and numbing peppercorns. Tender fillets of boneless white fish are not far below the surface and chewy clear noodles line the bottom. This dish is quite potent but all the ingredients are very fresh.
The Sichuan-style Twice Cooked Pork was nice but felt a little greasy. The pork belly appetizer had better flavour and was more interesting.
Both times I’ve tried one of their shredded potato dishes assuming I’ll love it because I love all things made with potato. The potatoes are cooked to be crunchy in the less cooked rather than fried way. While it’s tasty enough, it’s not a must order for me. I think I’d try another meat dish next time.
Because we had greedy eyes and didn’t include any greens with our meal, we topped up a few dollars for the Cabbage Fried with Lard Oil as well. It was a greasy but delicious way to get in our veggies.
Verdict
Sijie is a great place to go for a large casual group dinner. You can try lots of dishes and the pricing is easy. Going as a smaller group is fine too, you may just crave a repeat visit so you can try more of the 14 appetizers and over 60 mains on the menu. I’m always on the hunt for more Sichuan places in town but so far Sijie is my favourite.
10/F, Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 2802 2250
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