Charming Spice Sichuan Restaurant

Sichuan food, one of my earlier discoveries in Melbourne and still an all-time favourite. I remembered the first time sinking my teeth into an ominous naval mine lookalike, the peppercorn, and the resulting explosion was certainly a sensation to remember. Soon after the first taste, I found myself craving for the spicy dishes from time to time. That is also probably why Sichuan restaurants are those I have frequented the most in the past two years.

Of all the restaurants I have tried so far, my favourite is still this inconspicuous restaurant on the first floor of the shops on Lonsdale Street, Charming Spice.

Charming Spice looks like the typical Sichuan place in Melbourne, with chilli themed decor, such as soft toys and sometimes even real dried chilli, and housing rather distasteful furniture. Service with a friendly smile is also something you will almost never find in a Chinese restaurant, including Charming Spice, a fact which I am rather used to by now. However, one thing that sets Charming Spice apart from the others is kitchen hygiene. So far, it is the only Sichuan restaurant I have eaten at with a full view of the kitchen from the dining area.

As for the food.

四川棒棒雞

I suppose this dish would be called 'Sichuan rod rod chicken' in a restaurant with a badly translated menu. I will just call it Sichuan spicy chicken. This is a cold dish with chicken drenched in chilli oil. I have tasted this dish at many restaurants and so far Charming Spice's version of it seems best. The flavourful chilli oil works wonders on the mildly seasoned chicken. What is interesting is the effect of the refrigeration on the texture of the meat, which makes it slightly harder than a chicken served hot, but the cold certainly makes the skin chewy but still retaining the silky smoothness, which is how I like it.

四川水煮魚

Literally translated as Sichuan water-cooked fish, it certainly sounds mild and bland, but a glance at the layer of floating dried chilli and peppercorn would convince you otherwise. This dish definitely packs a wallop and is not for those with sensitive tongues. A signature Sichuan dish, it consists of fish fillets drenched in chilli oil and given its flavour by the dried chilli and peppercorn.

Every Sichuan restaurant recommends this dish, but not all of them get it done right. This dish is not only about being spicy, but also about being tasty. Many restaurants load the chilli oil with too much spices which kills the flavour of the fish. Some overcook the fish which makes them rubbery and dry. Charming Spice is one of the rare restaurants that can work this dish to near perfection. The fish is just sliced into the right size, not too thin as to disintegrate once bitten and not too thick as to make it torturous for one to chew while trying to withstand the spiciness. They are also cooked for the right amount of time, which results in a silky smooth texture, such that they can slide down your throat like noodles. The chilli oil strikes a perfect balance between spiciness and tastiness, allowing the fish to retain its natural flavour while still managing to leave the eaters in tears. Absolutely heavenly, in a masochistic way.

干鍋雞

The last dish for today is the "dried wok chicken". Personally, I am not a fan of this dish. It was more cauliflower, various fungi, lotus root than chicken. I had a hard time finding pieces of chicken in that pot. Other than that, the dish was too wet for it's name. There was at least an inch of sauce in the pot which made the fried chicken soggy. Taste wise, there is nothing much to complain about but for that price, I would rather order another dish.

Overall, the quality of the food was above average, although the 干鍋雞 was a major let-down, the 棒棒雞 and 水煮魚 definitely make up for it. A meal at Charming Spice is also good value for money due to their large portions. Most main dishes with meat cost around 25, appetisers and vegetables usually cost somewhere in the teens. Do not expect to be treated like a king or queen, or rather emperor or empress here, as with any other Chinese restaurant, the cheap food comes with bad service. Does that stop me from going back? Hell no!

Be warned though, diarrhoea is almost inevitable after having Sichuan.

1/276 Lonsdale Street, 
Melbourne, VIC 3000, 
Australia.

(03) 9663 9898