This is where you can experience more than 100 different authentic Sichuan dishes, in an all-you-can-eat à la carte buffet, all in one seating.
102 to be exact.
The renowned Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant at PARKROYAL on Beach Road is bringing back its annual special “100 Sichuan Delights, 1 Gastronomic Feast” (一菜一格，百菜百味), and it is returning bigger and better.
For those who have never been to Sichuan itself, you may think that the food is all about “mala” – the recently trending spicy and tongue-numbing flavour.
However, Executive Chef Zeng Feng and team wanted to showcase that the cuisine has more to offer than just the popular “mala” flavour.
Thus, you can really experience a wide variety of dishes, with taste-profiles such as the nutty Sesame and Pepper Sauce (麻酱) to the fragrant and mildly numbing Sichuan Minced Pepper and Spring Onion Sauce (椒麻).
These are also distinct Sichuan flavours that are slowly disappearing.
Here’s how the buffet works: diners will be presented with a menu of 102 Sichuan dishes, in which you can pick and choose your favourites.
You can order multiple portions of those you love; or if you enjoy a variety, you can choose as many different dishes as you wish.
As there are several categories from “Chilli Oil”, “Sweet and Sour Sauce”, “Lychee Flavour” to “Desserts”, my recommendation is to pick one from each (if you have an appetite) to have a sample of various taste profiles.
I went through quite a number of dishes, and here are 20 recommended items from the “100 Sichuan Delights, 1 Gastronomic Feast”:
“Chong Qing” Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli 重庆辣子鸡
For lovers of Sichuan cuisine, Chong Qing Chicken needs little introduction.
This spicy dish is best known for the insane chicken-to-dried chilli ratio, where the deep-fried marinated chicken pieces are wok-fried into cups of dried aromatic chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, minced ginger, garlic and scallions.
While this is traditionally prepared with bone-in diced chicken, Chef Zeng Feng used boneless chicken instead for the convenience of diners.
Evenly deep-fried to perfection, the chicken pieces retain a soft crunch such that you would hear a distinct flaking sound when you drop a piece.
Stir-Fried Sliced Fish in Tomato Sauce 茄汁鱼花
The fish is cut into strips, so that it would open up like a blossoming flower after being deep-fried, then poured over with tangy-sweet wok-fried tomato sauce.
Chilled ‘You Mai’ Vegetables with Sesame Sauce’ 麻酱凤尾
The “phoenix tail” in this cold dish actually refers to the ends of the “You Mai” vegetables – a type of Chinese lettuce.
The deep-roasted sesame sauce adds a savoury-nutty flavour, which makes this like a refreshing Chinese-style salad.
Chilled Sliced Radish in Sweet and Sour Sauce 珊瑚雪卷
An intricate dish that requires skill to make. Shaped like beautiful corals, this cold dish features shredded julienned carrots wrapped around with thinly-cut radish, steeped in sweet and vinegarish-sour sauce.
This may remind some diners of radish kimchi. A good starter to whet your appetite.
Fish Fillet with Dried Chilli 炝锅鱼条
Deep-fried fish fillet wok-fried with garlic, ginger, fermented beans, chilli oil and peppercorns for an aromatic dish with mala tongue-tingling effect.
Pan-fried Toast with Scallop 锅贴带子
A favourite dish amongst many, this addictive dish contains bread cut into circular shape, and topped with prawn paste and succulent scallop.
The pieces are first pan-fried, then deep-fried such that the outer layer is slightly crisp, while the scallop remains juicy.
Chef revealed that before serving, salt and pepper powder (similar to the ones used for Chinese-style popcorn chicken) will be sprinkled atop as seasoning.
Braised Bean Curd in Sichuan Bean Paste 家常豆腐
A comforting dish that would remind Sichuan people of home, fried with Sichuan bean paste sauce.
The overall combination is part-spicy and part-salty – best paired with a bowl of hot steaming rice.
Sliced Pork with Leek in Spicy Sauce 回锅肉
This is one of Sichuan’s most iconic dish. The “twice cooked pork” or ”Hui Guo Rou” has its name obtained from its cooking method.
The meat is first simmered in water loaded with aromatics, then sliced thinly, and finally fried with bean paste. The spicy-seared pork belly is not to be missed in any Sichuan meal.
Steamed Pork Belly with Sichuan Bean Sprouts 咸烧白
A hearty dish of steamed melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and preserved mustard greens. Could remind diners of another similar dish – Mei Cai Kou Rou”.
(The pork belly is called “shao bai” 烧白 due to its fair white colour after being steamed.)
Braised Sliced Pork with Crispy Rice Bubble 锅粑肉片
While the dish is listed under “Lychee Flavour” in the menu, there are actually no lychees used in the making.
The sauce carries a delicately-sweet and sour flavour, which reminds many of the taste of lychee fruit.
Chilled Diced Chicken with Plum Sauce and Sichuan Pepper 陈皮鸡丁
A dish that originated from Hunan, also known as “Orange Flower Chicken” 橙花鸡.
However, this is not just another dish of Orange Chicken. The restaurant’s recipe includes fried hot chilli peppers and other aromatics which helps to enhance the flavour of the orange sauce.
Another aspect is that the chicken is actually first fried until crispy, then coupled with the sweet fruity sauce over low heat.
Stir-fried Bitter Gourd in Sweet Bean Sauce 醬烧苦瓜
A dish using fermented sweet bean sauce that combines particularly well with bitter gourd.
Smoked Fish with Five Spices五香薰鱼
While this is typically cooked with an entire fish or bigger fish pieces in China, the restaurant serves finger-food sized fish pieces which is fried with five different spices including cinnamon and star anise.
Black Mushrooms with Onion Oil 葱油鲜菇
The special feature of this dish is that fresh spring onions are first fried with ginger for fragrance, then added with stock for the black mushrooms to be cooked till soft.
Pork Belly in Chinese Rice Wine 香糟肉
Cooked with Chinese Rice Wine called ”Xiang Zao” (sometimes known as “Lao Zao”), the wine helps to eliminate any ‘porky’ taste and adds a fragrant, rich flavour.
Sliced Pork in Garlic and Chilli Sauce 蒜泥白肉
A popular Sichuan appetiser, the flavours of the “Suan Ni Bai Rou” or Sliced Pork with Garlic Sauce largely comes from the specially-concocted seasoning, because the pork itself is on the bland side.
Eggplant and Minced Meat in Garlic and Chilli Sauce 鱼香茄饼
In Sichuan, this method of cooking and inclusion of sauté garlic, ginger, spring onions and chilli paste is typically used for fish.
However, Chef Zeng Feng uses the same method on eggplants, with delectable sauce that is sweet, spicy, and savoury at the same time.
Stir-fried French Beans with Minced Meat 干煸四季豆
The popular Sichuan dish of French beans flash fried in hot oil till just tender, then stir-fried with minced pork and spicy, flavoured soy bean paste.
Loved the French beans for its crunchiness.
Steamed Pork Belly in Sweet Sauce 龙眼甜烧白
Now that you know that “shao bai” 烧白 refers to pork, this is actually a sweet-savoury dish.
What’s wrapped within the pork belly dish is a thick spread of sweet red bean paste, that is steamed together with glutinous rice till soft.
You can be assured of sweet-savoury interplay, which makes this a fairly interesting yet tasty dish to have. The red dots you see above are made of cut-fruits and refer to the “dragon’s eye”.
Stir-fried Dried Fruits with Flour and Sugar 蜜味锅蒸
Also sweet-savoury, this dish is topped with meringue such that you can almost eat as a dessert.
If you would like to go for something safer as a sweet ending, try the Sichuan Glutinous Pancake, Chilled Peach Resin with Sago, or Glutinous Rice Ball with Red Bean Paste.
Adult diners can also enjoy a complimentary glass of sake.
100 Sichuan Delights, 1 Gastronomic Feast’ (一菜一格，百菜百味)
A total of 102 dishes will be featured in this year’s a la carte buffet, available exclusively at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, PARKROYAL on Beach Road from 8 July to 30 September 2019.
With a minimum of four adults to dine, the buffet is priced at $60++ per adult and $30++ per child (aged from six to twelve), available daily for both lunch and dinner.
UOB Cardmembers enjoy one dines free with three paying adults on the à la carte buffet.
Quote [DFD] and bring back a bottle of Chef Zeng Feng’s Homemade Chilli Oil upon dining. Per table per bill.
Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant – PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road Singapore 199590
Tel: +65 6505 5722
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:30pm (Mon – Sun)
* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant.