[Review] Old Town, Capel Street, Dublin 1

It's been a while since I recommended a Chinese restaurant on the blog. I'm often asked on Twitter to point friends in the direction of the latest authentic Chinese restaurant that I've uncovered in my non-ending quest for Chinese food. Therefore, in the spirit of sharing, I bring you Old Town located on Capel Street. Several Chinese restaurants have flared brightly at this location in the past, only to die out, but Old Town appears to be doing well so far. 

The cuisine at Old Town is Sichuan-influenced, but it's not hardcore, making it very approachable. The menu is the usual book of delicious looking photos and the occasional oddball translation from the native Chinese. However, I've found the staff to be very friendly, and always willing to make a recommendation, so don't be afraid to put yourself into their hands. The interior has gotten a needed refresh since the last occupants with straightforward wooden furniture, a good lick of paint and paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

Interior at Old Town

[Review] Jojos, Parnell Street, Dublin 1

According to the oracle that is Google, the restaurant at the centre of this week's review doesn't exist. Or at least, I can only find one other blog post which references it. No Facebook page or any anything else. The odds of a location not being found on Google is highly unlikely, so I can only assume that the error lies with me and I am somehow remembering Jojo's incorrectly.

I do know however, that I have eaten twice recently in Jojos, so unless I am transitioning to some parallel dimension when I walk down Parnell Street, it most definitely does exist, and it is most definitely very good. There's clearly been some investment in the interior with black marble topped tables and movable extraction flues to position over the traditional BBQs and hotspots. It's a far call from the first Chinese restaurants which opened on Parnell Street.

Over the course of our two visits, we got to try a good selection of dishes. We haven't yet tried the hotpot or BBQ options, which are very popular with the large groups of Asians I've seen in the restaurant. Leaf buns, filled with fresh shredded green vegetables were steamed and then pan-fried, but could have benefited from a side portion of dipping sauce. There's a wide range of spicy BBQ skewers available including chicken gizzards and hearts, but we stuck with the more familiar options of chicken and lamb, flavoured with chili and cumin seeds.

Leaf buns

Chicken and lamb BBQ skewers

I did ask if the Chongqing chicken could be prepared off the bone, only to be met by a resounding "NO". Much as I love this style of cooking, the thought of biting into a piece of chicken bone unnerves me. I ordered regardless and was rewarded by a dish of intensely deep-fried, crispy chicken pieces with a scattering of fermented beans, chills and other tasty additions. Even with careful inspection for bone pieces, we still cleared the plate. 

Cumin beef was tender with moist chunks of beef mixed through with cumin and coriander stalks. Deep-fried fish were topped with a richly flavoursome sauce of ginger, Chinese pork, fermented beans and dried mushrooms. Once the fish was all gone, I scooped tablespoons of this addictive sauce into my rice bowl to make sure that I got every last bit. 

A dish of pork fat and deep-fried tofu was questioned by our waiter who didn't think it would suit our western tastes. To be fair, he did this in a very nice way, but we were rewarded with a clay bowl of fatty belly pork pieces in a rich red broth with cabbage leaves and bean sprouts. 

Chongqing chicken (on the bone)

Cumin beef

Fried fish with Chinese pork and mushrooms

Fried green beans with minced pork

Pork fat and fried tofu

I sometimes find the Chinatown restaurants to be hit and miss. By this I mean that I will get wonderful, flavoursome authentic dishes on one visit, only to get the "Westernised', gloopy version on the next visit. I don't know why this happens, but it's so far, so very good at Jojos. All dishes that we had were under €10 in price and the portions are more than ample. The heat levels are not very high at Jojos either, which would suit people who would to explore authentic Chinese food.

The bill from our second visit to Jojos

Jojo's, Parnell Street, Dublin 1.

Contact details unknown!

[Review] China Sichuan, Dublin 18

I've recently been reading a blog series from Sybaritica about Chinese characters and how to understand them in the context of food and dining. I'm only a few characters in, but I'm already starting to go a little cross-eyed as I start to appreciate this complex language. However, I have learned to recognise the three parallel strokes that symbolise one of my favourite Chinese cuisines, namely Sichuan cooking. I  was delighted to be able to pick that character out on the menu cover at China Sichuan. Watch out non-English speaking restaurants, I'm coming!

China Sichuan is surely the sleekest Chinese restaurant in Dublin. Located in a custom-built premises in Sandyford Industrial Estate, it's presided over by the charming, second generation restaurateur Kevin Hui. Upon arriving, our coats were taken with a warm welcome before being led into the dining room, which is all dark woods, slate and subdued lighting. It simply (discretely) shouts style. I already knew that I was going to enjoy China Sichuan. The question was how would this upmarket and polished restuarant compare to some of my Dublin Chinatown favourites?

A little dish of pickled and peeled cucumber strips were crunchy and sweet. They disappeared quickly, leaving us forlornly waiting for the starters.  Cold pork belly slices were delicately wrapped around  beanspouts, perched on top of a slice of pickled cucumber (€6.00). The spicy garlic and soy sauce dressing ensured that each mouthful was intense and savoury. Luóbo gao or Chinese turnip cake pan-fried and tossed with XO sauce (€8), was a wonderful surprise. The cubes of turnip were light, even fluffy and extremely moreish. Our final starter featured fresh, meaty prawns in a foamy and buttery salted duck egg coating (€8.50).

Pickled cucumbers 

Pork belly slices with spicy garlic sauce

Prawns with salted duck egg

Luóbo Gao - Chinese turnip cake

I had chosen my main of Chong Qing chicken from the Chef's Recommendations section, where it was accompanied by a little triangle, indicating moderately spicy (€15.00). The advertised mixture of dried and fresh chilis seasoned with ground Sichuan pepper had drawn me in like a moth to a flame. What arrived at the table was a richly coloured bowl of chicken, cashews and chills  Lots of chills to be honest, all coated with the numbing magic of Sichuan pepper. It's not for the faint of heart, but I loved every minute of it. Himself had stuck with the specials for his main course, opting for Ballinwillin organic venison cooked with chili and Chinese greens (€20.00). I was curious to see how the chefs would tackle venison, which turned out to be tenderly cooked in a slightly peppery sauce. 

At this stage, we can't visit any Chinese restaurant without ordering a portion of fried long green beans. At China Sichuan, the beans are a bit more expensive than usual (€15.00), but come tossed with minced pork and deliciously salty bits. Along with the Chong Qing chicken, it was an umami slap to the tastebuds, leaving them calling out for more. 

Chong Qing chicken with dried and fresh chillis

Green beans fried with minced pork

Ballinwillin venison

Throughout the meal, I stuck with a glass of delicious Gewürztraminer whose floral aromatics contrasted well with the spicy flavours, while it was bottles of Tsing Tao Chinese beer for Himself. The waiting staff were flawlessly perfect throughout, often cracking a joke, but always attentive. 

China Sichuan straddles two worlds effortlessly. On one hand it is sleekly modern, frequently by wealthy South Dubliners, while on the other hand, the food from the kitchen is authentic and true. It's a true marriage of modernity and tradition, showcasing a vibrant and modern Chinese cuisine. After all, it's hard to resist the allure of dishes like tea-smoked duck or pork shreds in the tantalising tasty "fish fragrance" sauce. (By the way, there's no actual fish involved, it just means that the sauce was traditionally suited to fish).

China Sichuan isn't cheap overall, but if you're on a budget there is a two course lunch menu on offer for €15.00, while the Early Bird offers two courses for €20.00. With the Stillorgan Luas stop just literally 2 minutes walk from the restaurant, it's hard not to find a reason to give it a try. If you fancy a Chinese dalliance, then China Sichuan is a good place to go.

China Sichuan, The Forum, Ballymoss Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18

Tel: +353 (0)1 293 5100
URL: china-sichuan.ie
Twitter: @ChinaSichuanD18

[Review] Yuan Ming Yuan, Princes Street, Cork

Cork has been a bit of a wasteland when it comes to authentic or proper Chinese food. There are many Chinese restaurants, but all are of the European variety. Having said that, some of these restaurants are quite good, while others are downright poor and overpriced. One of the more highly-rated establishments in Cork has caused me to cry with despair at both the gloopy quality of its food and its high prices.  I suspect that it holds fond memories for many people and hence it continues.

Yuan Ming Yuan (YMY) is a welcome spot, and it's become my default Chinese restaurant when back home in Cork. Even though it had been over a half year since my last visit, the friendly waiter immediately recognised me and made sure that our table was set with chopsticks and rice bowls, rather than cutlery. The interior of YMY is extremely ornate with lots of carved dark wooden screens and an intricate ceiling festooned with Chinese lanterns. I don't think I've ever seen so many dragons in one location.

To the best of my knowledge, YMY is the only restaurant in Cork offering Dim Sum, and we ordered a portion of Siew Mai or steamed prawn and pork dumplings (€3.90) from the selection on offer. The pork filling had a really satisfying firm bite and was studded with chunks of prawn and spring onions. A little bowl of roasted chili oil provided a little kick to the juicy and fragrant dumplings. 

Prawn and pork steamed dumplings

A whole steamed seabass came opened out, sitting in fragrant juices and topped with gingery pickled vegetables (€13.95). The moist flesh slid free of the bones with some careful prodding of chopsticks and we scooped it up along with the light juices and vegetables. Grilled spicy lamb skewers were mixed with chunks of raw white onion which grilled to a crunchy finish on the sizzlingly-hot cast iron platter (€15.95). The cost was a bit expensive for three skewers, but the lamb retained its moistness and was gently spicy with lots of toasted cumin.

Steamed seabass with pickled vegetables

Grilled spicy lamb skewers

I think I spent many of my postgraduate years in UCC looking  for authentic Chinese food. Perversely, it seemed that I had to leave before I would find what I sought. For the less adventurous diners, YMY offers the standard Chinese fare, but please look beyond those options to find the more authentic dishes and dim sum. I think you'll be pleased.

Yuan Ming Yuan, 17 Princes Street, Cork
Tel: +353 (0)21 425 4968
URL: www.ymy.ie

[Review] M&L Szechaun Restaurant, Cathedral Street, Dublin 1

Dear readers, I have a confession to make. It has been barely more than 12 hours since my last Chinese meal and I already crave more. As I sit here, it is a blustery yet stunningly beautiful Sunday morning in Dublin's fair city. Clouds are scurrying across an azure sky and surely it is a time to think about Eggs Benedict or perhaps a proper fry. However, in my head I am dreaming of streamed fish with fragrant ginger and garlic, or perhaps lip-tingling Sichuan peppers dotted throughout a dish of crispy chicken and peanuts. 

I have several favourite Chinese restaurants in Dublin, which I alternate through depending on my moods and desires. All have featured on this blog, some more than once. In fact, this is a second mention for the M&L Szechuan Restaurant, over 3 years since I first mentioned it. The M&L Szechuan restaurant lies in the shadow of St. Mary's Pro Cathedral, a mere hop and a skip from O'Connell Street. Despite the solemn surroundings, M&L is a vibrant spot, often packed and full of bright flavours and aromas. As the name suggests, the main dishes originate from Szechuan province, famous for its use of spicy and pungent flavours. Inside, the restaurant is cosily lit and the staff are welcoming. The M&L used to suffer from the problem of having dreary English and exotic Chinese menus, but things have improved and there are now many authentic offerings on the English menu. 

Deep-fried seabass with chili garlic garlic sauce came on the bone (€13.50) with a bright flash of spring onions. The sweetness of the sauce had been tempered with garlic, resulting in a sticky sauce in which to dip the delicate white flesh.  Stir-fried dry beef with hot and spicy taste (€10.50) was flavoured with cumin and fermented beans and finished with sugar, resulting in a carmelised flavour to balance the salty & spicy flavours. It was also a visually pretty dish with dark red dried chills and bright green from fresh coriander and spring onion. 

Deep fried seabass with chili garlic sauce

We managed to go off-piste when we persuaded our waiter to provide a dish of aubergine and pork from the Chinese menu. It didn't look the most appealing when it arrived but it was melt in the mouth good. Gently sweet and salty, the aubergine had nearly completely disappeared and the whole dish was a lovely counterpoint to spicy beef. Glasses of Tsingtao rice beer were cold and refreshing and great value at €3 a bottle. 

Stir-fried dry beef, Tsingtao beer and aubergine & pork

A dish of deep-fried crispy chicken and peanuts was flavoured with chili (€10.50) and the fearsome Sichuan peppercorn. Little pieces of chicken skin had escaped from the flesh and had been fried separately. They literally exploded with flavour in the mouth and I searched throughout the entire plate, picking out all these little morsels. Dark red dried chilis make this dish moderately spicy, but the heat factor is amplified if you manage to pick up some of the lurking peppercorns (which confusingly aren't actually peppercorns, but in fact berries).

Shredded pork in hot and sour sauce and chicken with chili and peanuts

The climate of Sichuan province tends to dampness (not unlike our own home) and therefore the cuisine features salty and spicy flavours to ward off foul humours. Perhaps this explains why I always feel virtuously healthy after a Sichuan meal, despite the fact that I will have eaten several courses, and practically licked every drop of garlicky oil off the plates. Or perhaps its the fact that a typical meal of 3 courses, several beers and rice will typically come to under €40.

If you like Chinese food but have been nervous about trying more authentic dishes, then M&L could well be the spot for you. Each dish has a wonderful balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavours, and the welcoming staff will help you order something suited to your tastes.  Personally, I intend to keep going until I crack the elusive all-Chinese menu. Soft-shell crabs cooked in egg yolk, you have been warned.

M&L Szechuan Restaurant, 13-14 Cathedral Street, Dublin 1

Tel:+353 (0)1 874 8038

URL: www.mlchineserestaurant.com

Twitter: @MlChinese

[Event] Taste of China Cooking Demonstration

Did you know that Dublin is twinned with Beijing? Well I didn't, or not at least until I visited the Dublin Chinese New Year website.  This festival of Sino-Irish culture is now six years old, and the 2013 festival was the biggest to date. One of the final events in the schedule was a Taste of China cookery demonstration hosted by Julie O'Neill of Shananigans Blog and Kevin Hui of China Sichuan restaurant in Sandyford. Given that the demonstrated dishes would come from a Sichaun restaurant, I was sold. I clicked through the online ticket office faster than I would get through a plate of Chinese green beans.

The only major obstacle was that the demonstration kicked off at 12pm on Sunday. At that time, I'm normally surfacing from my Saturday cocktail induced stupor. Still though, the lure of Chinese food was strong, and Sunday morning found me rather uncharacteristically bounding up the stairs to the Cooks Academy on South William Street. This was my first time at this venue, and I was very impressed by the bright and airy workspaces. A welcoming glass of prosecco definitely helped ease me into the mood.

Julie kicked off the event with an introduction to Chinese cooking (a massive subject in its own right) and a overview of her trip to China to visit her son and daughter-in-law. We laughed at her stories and we all felt the warmth of her welcoming Chinese in-laws. It served to remind us that meals bring and bind families together, especially in China where food is truly embedded in everyday life. For me, Chinese food, particularly Hunan or Sichuan, is soul food. No other cuisine makes me feel so content and satisfied. Considering I grew up with bacon and cabbage, this is some realisation. 

The interior of the Cooks Academy

Our first dish was fish fragrant pork shreds. The name is a little misleading as there is no fish in this dish but instead the name refers to the ingredients. As Sichuan province is landlocked with fish in limited supply, the aromatics typically used to flavour fish are instead used with other ingredients, hence the name. A key component of this dish is a picked red pepper sauce, which takes 3 weeks to mature in the fridge. (I've already got a bowl sitting in my fridge, tightly sealed to prevent the aromas from leaking out.) Thankfully, the team had provided us with pre-made sauce and we followed the instructions to produce an incredibly fragrant dish with lots of garlic, ginger and tender pork. I really can't wait to crack out my own version of the 3 week sauce and cook it myself at home. If you're not inclined to wait that long, some Sichuan chili bean paste can be used instead. 

Fish fragrant pork

Our second dish of the day were waltip dumplings filled with a chicken & prawn mixture. We watched as Ricky & Andrew got to work making the stiff but simple pastry, followed by the filling. The real fun came in watching Rick deftly portion and roll out the dumpling pastry with deft, practiced motions. A quick dab of filling and then the dumpling was sealed up with some serious pleating action. Cooking is a family activity in China, and children are often set to making the dumplings from a young age. 

Watching Ricky seal up dumplings

Then it was our turn. First thing that we learned was the importance of keeping the pastry short and dry. Our effort was a little too soft but we decided to go ahead and use it anyway. I attempted to roll the wrappers in the same inwards rolling manner as demonstrated by Ricky, but I found it faster and easier to switch to a regular rolling technique. Once I had my little pastry circles ready, it was time to add a little dab of filling and start to crimp the dumplings. I started out using a simplified pleating technique, making sure to put an attractive bend in the dumplings. The challenge was consistency, but I eventually produced four reasonably identical versions. My efforts at the more complicated crimping technique were definitely not as successful! The dumplings were poached in hot water for about 5 minutes, before being fried in a hot pan until one side was golden and crispy.

Top: pastry ready to go. Bottom: prawn and chicken filling

Top: my dumpling efforts. Bottom: Ricky's  pro dumpling

My poached and fried dumplings

The demonstration was scheduled to run for four hours, and I genuinely did not notice the time disappear. It was wonderful to get a chance to cook these dishes myself, with guidance from Ricky, Andrew and Kevin. The session has inspired me to pull out my selection of Chinese cookbooks and produce more dishes at home. There are many Asian supermarkets around the country now, including the Asia Market on Drury Street making many Chinese ingredients easily purchasable. Julie provides a list of basic Chinese ingredients and equipment on her blog, making it even easier to try some Chinese cooking at home. 

[Review] Zen, Rathmines, Dublin 6

When I start to write a review, I like to spend some time doing research. I look up the location's website, as well as reading any press reviews that I can locate. It's good to build up a picture of the location, which I can then draw on as I write up my own thoughts. This proved to be a bit of a challenge when it came to Zen Restaurant. Despite being in operation for over 20 years, it's quietly low-key and I found it hard to located older reviews.

Zen is located in an old church hall on Upper Rathmines Road, but this isn't really apparent from the outside. It's only when you step inside the main dining room that you feel the sense of space and reverence (pretty much standard issue in church buildings). A large golden disc is suspended on the main wall, reflecting gentle light over the plush red velvet seats. A backlit bar and softly-flaming fireplace add to the sense of warmth and comfort. 

The interior of Zen Chinese restaurant

Zen is a Sichuan restaurant, which is an important distinction to make. China is a very large country, divided into over 30 administrative regions, each of which has its own unique culture and cuisine. Sichuan cuisine can be characterised as being fresh, hot, spicy and fragrant drawing on flavours such as the Sichuan peppercorn, peanut and ginger. (If you want to read more about the magnificent cuisine of Sichuan, I'd thoroughly recommend picking up a copy of Fuchsia Dunlop's memoir Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper.) 

We were dining at Zen to celebrate the Chinese New Year, 2013being the Year of the Snake. Our plan was to enjoy the special celebratory menu, created by head chef Mr Shucheng Yu, priced at a very attractive €25 per head. As the lighting in the restaurant was low, I don't have good photos of the food, so here's the menu instead.

Pickled broccoli and mooli

Sweet and sour ribs

Braised trout with black bean

Chicken and peanut salad

***

Meat sung

***

Aubergine with marinated ground pork, ginger, garlic and pickled chilies

Braised whole bream in chili bean sauce

Lamb with ginger and scallion

To start, we received four little tasting bowls, each dish containing a different taste and texture. The braised trout stood out as the delicate fish was contrasted beautifully with salty bean. The pickled mooli was tangy and crunchy. Delicious meat sung came preassembled in lettuce leaf boats, standing proud on the plate.  Our three main dishes proved to be a feast. The whole bream was perfectly cooked and the flesh came away easily from the bone, even with chopsticks. As always, himself went straight for the cheek flesh before turning his attention to the main body. The aubergine and pork came in a slightly spicy, rich sauce with the aubergines literally melting in the mouth.

The set menu was excellent value for money, but there's also a wide selection of a la carte and even daily specials. Dishes like Pang Pang chicken (shreds of cold chicken breast in a spicy sauce) or stewed spicy fillet of beef with Chinese cabbage sound wonderful, though I'd draw the line at shredded lamb with celery. The devil vegetable has no place in civilised dining. I wouldn't even feed it to my dwarf hamsters!

Zen is bit of a hidden treasure. It's clearly got a strong customer base who know all about it, but don't shout about it. I knew about it but didn't realise until recently that it was a Sichuan restaurant, which is one of my favourite cuisines. On recent visits to Zen, I've been spitting out Sichuan peppercorns like a Gatling gun, which is high praise in my book, as too few Chinese restaurants in Ireland make use of this wonderful spice. But despite the use of Sichuan peppercorn, it's a bit funny that my only real complaint about Zen is that the food could be spicier.

Zen Restaurant, 89 Rathmines Road Upper, Dublin 6
Tel: +353 (0)1 497 9428
URL: www.zenrestaurant.ie

[Recipe] Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork

I don't publish many recipes on this blog. In fact, most of you probably think that I live in restaurants! In reality, I do love to cook and do so most evenings when I'm not travelling for work. The real reason I don't post recipes is that I don't have the time or daylight to take decent photographs of my cooking. I simply can't compete with some of the beautiful images posted by other Irish food bloggers!

I've long been addicted to Chinese food, and although I regularly seek out Chinese restaurants, I tend to go through phases of cooking it at home. However, I've lately been inspired by Julie O'Neill's Shananigans Blog, which is in turn inspired by her far-flung family and her travels. Through the medium of Twitter, we discovered our shared love for Chinese food and have swapped cookbook and cooking tips. Julie is cooking up a storm, blending Irish produce with wonderful Chinese recipes and ingredients.

Several months ago, Julie cooked Chairman Mao's Red-Braised Pork, based on the recipe from Fucshia Dunlop's Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. Chairman Mao came from the Hunan district and despite the culinary suppression of the Cultural Revolution, he remained a devotee of the spicy cuisine of his native province. This braised pork was his firm favourite. I've cooked this dish several times exactly as per the recipe, but in the version below I've also added just two more extra ingredients to get the dish to sing just the way I like.

My prepared ingredients - dried chilis, star anise, cinnamon, ginger & garlic

Ingredients - (Brackets indicate my optional ingredients)

500g belly pork (skin removed)
2 tablespoons groundnut oil
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
10g fresh ginger, skin left on and sliced
(3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced)
1 star anise
2 dried red chilis
Small piece of cassia/cinnamon bark
Light soy sauce, salt and sugar
Coriander or spring onion to garnish
(1 tablespooon cornflour mixed with a little water)
(1 tablespoon chili bean paste)

Method

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Cut the belly pork into thick slices. At this stage, I prefer to remove the skin, as well as any rib bones. Place the belly pork into the boiling water and cook for about 4 mins, until partially cooked. Remove the pork from the water and drain on some kitchen paper. Once the pork is cool enough, cut into bite-sized chunks. 

Heat the oil and sugar in a wok over moderate heat until the sugar melts. Raise the heat and occasionally swirl the wok gently until the sugar carmelises and turns a dark golden brown. I find that it is best not to stir this mixture, as it can crystallise. Instead leave the heat to do its work.

Once carmelised, add the pork and Shaoxing wine. Stir briskly, making sure that the pork is well coated. Add just enough water to cover the pork, along with the ginger, (garlic) star anise, chills and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes, or until the pork is tender. 

Towards the end, turn up the heat to reduce the sauce and season with soy sauce, salt and a little sugar to taste. Add the garnish just before serving. 

Optional - at this point, I like to add the cornflour mix in order to thicken the sauce and make it rich and glossy. For extra flavour, I also add a tablespoon of chili bean paste to taste. 

Chinese chili bean paste

The finished dish, served with flat rice noodles

This post is dedicated to Julie O'Neill, her husband and her family who have experienced several recent bereavements. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

[Review] Mak at D6, Ranelagh, Dublin 6

Brothers Ricky and Julian Mak have opened Mak at D6 in the heart of Ranelagh, on one side of the famous triangle. Although it serves a decent variety of Chinese starters and mains, it's also got a focus on Hong Kong style Dim Sum.  Dim Sum (which literally means "touch the heart") is a traditional form of Chinese cuisine which consists of small dishes, designed to be served alongside tea. 

Our waitress was keen to explain the menu concept to us, something I personally could have done without. I've sat across from little old ladies in Dim Sum houses in San Francisco who had chicken feet sticking out of their wrinkled faces, while simultaneously slurping congee. (I still shudder to this day.) Ranelagh doesn't quite reach the same heights of authenticity. Kudos to our waitress though for suggesting that we switch to a bigger table in order to accommodate all our dishes. 

The Dim Sum menu is broken into three sections; steamed, pan-grilled or crispy. You could probably interpret that as a sliding scale of healthy choice! Disappointingly for me, most of the dim sum feature wheat pastry, so I was limited to a handful of choices. We ordered one from each section. 2 portions of sticky rice with prawn and pork steamed in a lotus leaf (€6.00) arrived at the table in the traditional bamboo steamer. At first glance, they didn't look very appetising, but once I opened the parcels, I quite liked the sticky, porridge-like rice inside. Himself ordered spicy chicken potstickers (4 for €6.00) and pork taro ball (3 for €5.50).  The potstickers looked wonderfully golden and crispy against the banana leaf while the pork taro balls were crunchy and filled with sweet char siu type pork.

Spicy chicken potstickers

Singapore udon noodles with chicken

Crispy pork belly

Pork yuk sung with lettuce

I was delighted to see that pork yuk sung (€6.00) could be ordered a single portion, as some many restaurants insist on a two person order for this delicious dish of savoury fried pork mince, served on a bed of crispy rice noodles. The two pieces of lettuce that arrived with my order were insufficient for the amount of tasty pork I received, but the kitchen quickly sent out some more leaves. 

Himself ordered chicken singapore udon (€13.95), with a good spicy curry flavour, while we also shared a portion of the crispy pork belly (€16.50). The pork belly was expertly crispy with not a single piece of soft fat left and flavoured with five spice. I wasn't enamoured with the accompanying overly-sweet hoisin sauce, instead preferring roasted chili oil or soya sauce.

Overall, we liked Mak at D6. The food is what I call standard Chinese, but it was well cooked, flavoursome and beautifully presented. Based on the dishes that we enjoyed, I'd say that the Dim Sum dishes merit further investigation. Service was excellent, with dishes arriving from the kitchen as they were ready. As you'd expect in Ranelagh, the interior is sleek and modern with smart glasses and tableware. Split level seating and some cosy booths break up the interior, while a brightly lit cocktail bar also promises good things. 

Given that Ranelagh recently lost long-established Wongs to a fire, there is now room in the market for a new Chinese restaurant to step up and grab the custom. Mak at D6, with its modern style, and little plates of Dim Sum and cocktails, could well be that place. 

Mak at D6, Charleston Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Tel: +353 (0)1 406 0006
URL: www.mak.ie
Twitter: @MakRestaurantD6

[Review] Hilan Chinese & Korean Restaurant, Capel St, Dublin 1

It's a bank holiday Sunday and we're relaxing on the sofa. Earlier in the morning, we'd cooked some pork and chili sausages, accompanied by onions carmelised in the sausage pan juices and some paprika home fries. Despite this fine meal, a thought crept into my mind. It started out as a gentle nudge and a whisper, but it didn't take long before it was flaunting itself like a can-can dancer and roaring at the top of its voice. "Give me spicy food"!

Looking out of our window, I could see leaves scattered everywhere, while tree branches were beginning to look bleak against the grey skies. Against such a backdrop, food which warms both body and soul seemed the best of ideas . Scarves and warm woolen coats on board, we headed out. Thankfully, town was quiet and we were quickly over on the Northside, in the vicinity of Capel Street and Parnell Street. 

One of my long-term favourite haunts, the Hilan Chinese and Korean, has recently reopened after a refit. (You can read my earlier ill-formed blogging from 2009 here.) The refit has seen the counter swapping sides, while the wooden floors and tables have been replaced with a slate-inspired look. The ugly retro-fitted ventilation systems have now been absorbed into the new ceiling and there's a feeling of more space. The makeover extends to the menu also, which has been expanded with more Chinese options available.

From top left clockwise, the menu at the Hilan, dry-fried spicy beef, green beans and the aftermath

A mountain of fried green beans was crunchy and flavoured with garlic, black fermented beans and a scattering of dried chilis (€9.90). This is a dish I order often in Chinese restaurants and I love to see the variations bought by each chef. (It's often lablled Four Season beans on menus). A spicy fish bowl contained large chunks of soft white fish, floating in a beansprout broth (€12.90). The lightness and delicacy of this dish feels so virtuous but it's tinged with a spicy edge from a topping of chili, garlic, ginger and fresh herbs.

I stepped up the heat level with my choice of dry-fried chili beef (€10.90), which is flavoured with the Sichuan peppercorn. By the way, it's not actually a peppercorn, but is the fruit of the Pricky Ash tree and is a spice that demands respect from the beginning Chinese eater. The initial taste is somewhat medicinal and it quickly progresses to a tingling mouth numbing sensation. It's also utterly delicious and addictive. More please!

The comforting and fragrant spicy fish bowl

Finishing off with some green tea

Soon, we were contentedly facing three decimated plates of food. We were satiated, but that didn't stop us from craning our necks as the waitresses walked past with dishes for other diners. Chinese restaurants invoke dish jealousy and visits always involve a frantic effort to commit dishes to memory for future visits. 

The Hilan is currently celebrating its 10th birthday, and is offering a 20% discount until the start of December. This meant that the bill for our three large courses and sundries came to a respectable €30.80. Although our meal consisted of Chinese dishes, every table at the Hilan is equipped with a Korean BBQ with a wide range of Korean dishes on offer. 

Sichuan peppercorns are reputed to act as blood purifiers and digestive aids. I can't verify that but I can tell you that I was warmed and comforted after our meal at the Hilan. As we stepped back out onto the bleak and wintery streets, the charming staff completed the experience with a warm farewell.

Hilan Chinese and Korean Restaurant, 45 Capel Street, Dublin 1

Tel: +353 (0)1 874 8677

Chuan Restaurant, Capel St, Dublin 1

In 2009 I visited the then incarnation of Chuan restaurant on Capel Street. It was a disappointing meal, representing all that is bad about European versions of Chinese food. Sometime though, Chuan changed and is now serving real Chinese food. I've eaten there a few times recently and can genuinely say that I've enjoyed each and every dish. Therefore it's only fair to tell you why you should ignore my old review.

The first thing you notice when you walk up to Chuan are the colour pictures of Chinese dishes that fill the window. The window is blanketed with them, each accompanied by Chinese script. This type of advertising fills me with hope (and trust me, I will walk across hot coals for good Sichuan or Hunan food). If a restaurant is proud to advertise traditional Chinese food as boldly as this, then surely it can walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.

Inside, Chuan is plain, perhaps even bleak and cold. When we took our seats, the waitress hauled an electric heater into place behind us and plugged it in. An effective solution. We dove straight into the Chinese menu, but there is also a set menu of standard Chinese dishes for people who might prefer to stick with what they know.

Beef with broccoli and green veg

Slow cooked beef belly stew

The pair of us are greedy gluttons when it comes to Chinese food, so we ordered three dishes. Our goal was to end up with a range of spiciness and wetness. As we waited, we could hear the chef cooking in the kitchen and soon the smells started to reach us. After some clashing wok sounds, the dishes started to emerge.

First to come out was the stir-fried beef with broccoli and green vegetables, followed by slow cooked beef belly pieces. The former was a mildly pepper-flavored stir-fry with tender, soft beef and bucket loads loads of crunchy green veg. The slow cooked beef was a fine example of a Sichuan stew. The meat had been cooked until very tender, and gently spiced. We even got a plate decoration in the form of a chinese pancake, which had been cut into wedges and arranged in a star shape.  

Spicy fish

Our waitress had made impressed sounds when we ordered the beef belly and these increased when himself ordered the spicy fish. Fair play to the woman, she understood that we were familiar with Sichuan food, and she replaced the cutlery with chopsticks without asking. The spicy fish was the last dish out from the kitchen. The broth was a rich, deep red, containing large chunks of white fish (even the head was floating in the bowl). It had the look of a mind-blowing Sichuan dish, which even I would approach with trepidation. Thankfully, it wasn't ridiculously spicy, but rather it set a decent level of heat that didn't get any worse as you ate.

All dishes were priced in or around €10-12, but are very generously portioned. My only complaint about Chuan is the lack of garlic in the cooking, but on the plus side, it doesn't induce head-melting with excessive heat levels. The restaurant has often been empty or quiet when we've visited, which is a pity, as this is proper Chinese food. It's not fancy (and sometimes you might even want to leave your coat on), but it's tasty and wallet-friendly with good service. Chuan is in my top 3 Dublin Chinese restaurants (FYI the others are the Hilan on Capel St and Mandarin House on Parnell St).

Chuan, 123 Capel St, Dublin 1
Tel: +353 (0)1 874 7632

Mandarin House, Parnell Street, Dublin

I love reading restaurant reviews. If I have eaten at the venue under review, I compare notes, while for unvisited venues, I make mental bookmarks to visit or avoid. It's fair to say that restaurant reviews are a subjective business and wars have been fought over lesser matters. You have to find a restaurant reviewer whose opinion you trust and with whom you feel an affinity. In Ireland, I am a fan of Tom Doorley, currently with the Irish Daily Mail, while in the UK I enjoy reading Jay Rayner from the Guardian, and reviews from blogger Chris Pople (Cheese and Biscuits). Just like Jay Rayner, I have a great love for spicy chinese food and thanks to his reviews, I have visited some great London Sichuan restaurants.

I do think that Sichuan (and Hunan) food can constitute an addiction. I literally find myself craving that chili hit, with intense garlic and salty bean flavours. It took me a while to become accustomed to the numbing sensations of sichuan pepper and prickly ash, but now I would sit through a Hollyoaks omnibus in order to satisfy my cravings. (For reference, I think Hollyoaks is possibly the most absymal television ever made).

Here in Dublin, I think it's fair to say that Chinese food has been up and down. I ate in the first  wave of authentic Chinese restaurants that opened their doors on down-at-heel Moore Street. Undoubtedly, the Health & Safety inspectors were pleased when some of those venues were closed, but the food was a revelation. The next wave of restaurants opened on Parnell Street, near Marlborough Street. It was clear to see that general restaurant standards were increasing, but in parallel with this was the increasing westernisation of the menus. Restaurants started opening on Capel Street, extending the availability of real chinese cuisine.

My favourite restaurant for a long time has been the Hilan Chinese & Korean restaurant on Capel Street. Friendly and pleasant staff combined with some amazing dishes has kept me coming back for years. But  I think it's time for a new favourite. Let me introduce you to the Mandarin House on Parnell Street.

The restaurant itself is straightforward and plain (a lot of Chinese restaurants don't go for style) with  utilitarian wipe-down paper tablecloths. The menu lists a combination of authentic Chinese food, "regular" Chinese food and there's even a Thai section. Some specials are taped to the inside cover of the menu, along with a value evening menu that includes a glass of wine. On previous visits I've enjoyed the belly pork slices with butternut squash, which  can probably be described as a Chinese version of roast dinner. It's a unique dish, not very spicy and well worth a try if you want to experience something different.

On our recent visit we ordered crispy dumplings, served with soy sauce (5 for €4.50). These actually arrived last of our food order due to the longer cooking time, but they were fat and tasty, full of prawn mixture, with a crisp, pan-fried coating. Black vinegar and chili oil is also available on request to add some extra flavour to the dipping sauce

Crispy dumplings with soy sauce

Fried spicy green beans came piled on a plate mixed with deliciously crisp slices of fried garlic, dried chilis and minced pork (€10.00). If you've ever eaten alongside Chinese people, you will know that fried green beans is a very popular dish and this was a great example. The mixture of fresh and dried chilis provided different layers of heat and smokiness and I found myself picking out the garlic slices and savouring them with my eyes shut.

Spicy fried green beans

Our other dishes included cumin lamb (€10.00), listed as Northeast Supreme (I think?) on the menu and Chili chicken (€9.00) with fried rice (€2.50 per portion). The chili chicken was moderately hot with a bean-flavoured sauce. The use of thigh meat meant that the chicken remained soft and moist. The lamb was spiced as opposed to spicy through the use of cumin seeds and a smattering of the ubiquitous dried chilis.

Northeast lamb supreme (Cumin lamb)

The total bill for this feast came to €44.50, inlcuding two beers and some sparkling water. Given that we had 3 main courses, this represents great value for very tasty food. Our waitress was smiling as she cleared away our empty plates. Clearly our enjoyment of their food was appreciated.


Mandarin House, 179 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
Tel: +353 (0)1 878 3146

Ba Shan Restaurant London

I'm stone mad crazy for Chinese food. It started many years ago with Sweet and Sour (as it does for many Irish people), but I gradually branched out into the more exotic varieties (black bean, hot garlic etc). 

It wasn't really until the mid-2000s that I finally got to flavour 'real' Chinese food, thanks to the explosion in the Asian population of Ireland. My first experience was in a horribly grotty upstairs restaurant in the now closed buildings on Moore Street. The place may not have been a fit abode for a rat, but the food was a revelation with layers of garlic and chili flavour.

From that point onwards, I was hooked. In fact, the obsession hasn't abated any, it's just got stronger. My favourite styles of cooking are Sichuan (pungent and flavoursome with lots of chili and garlic) and Hunan (hot and spicy with deep flavours & fresh aromas).  A while back, while googling on Hunan cuisine, I had read a restaurant review from Jay Rayner, critic with the Guardian, which featured the Ba Shan Hunan restaurant in SoHo, London. "Hmmm", I thought, "I must remember that place". So I entered it into a little note on my iPhone and tucked it away for later retrieval. 

Well, time passed, and I found myself in London, alone on a Friday. It was lunchtime and, as is not uncommon, my thoughts turned to spicy food. I recalled a very nice Korean restaurant I had enjoyed near the Palladium theatre, but then the better part of my brain took over and turned my feet towards SoHo. So, it was that I found myself seated in the Ba Shan restaurant drooling over their large, picture-based menu, trying to decide if ordering three plates would be too much.

I chose crispy fried beef with white onion for a starter. I received a plate of thinly sliced raw onion mixed with spaghetti-thin pieces of crispy beef, all deliciously dressed in a chili-oil which contained a liberal dash of prickly ash oil (derived from Sichuan pepper, which has a peculiar tingly, buzzing & numbing flavour). The combination of mouth-tingling Sichuan pepper with the bite of raw onion was amazing and a true challenge to the tastebuds. This was not a starter for the faint of heart. I ploughed my way through it, relishing every mouthful (although every swallow of my accompanying beer hurt, due to the effect of the Sichuan pepper).

For my main course, I had gone for an oil-based dish, as oil is often used in Chinese cooking to capture the rich flavours of garlic, beans & chili. My main course of twice-cooked pork belly did not disappoint.  It came served prettily in a steel wok, which sat atop a small burner at my table. This meant that as I ate, the flavour was intensifying and improving as the oil slowly bubbled. The pork was succulent and juicy and the juices were rich and deeply coloured with the flavours of dried chili, fresh chili, whole cloves of garlic and fermented beans. This wasn't as hot as the starter, but the rich, deep flavours and milder heat would make it a good introductory dish for those starting out to experience Hunan cuisine.

There is something about food this spicy and flavoursome that seems so healthy. It lifts you, it cleanses you and it challenges you. It becomes an addiction. 

Ba Shan Hunan Restaurant, 24 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AH. Tel +44 (0)20 7287 3266