Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant

I'd noticed signs for this place a couple times when passing by the lobby of UOB Plaza, and it sounded interesting given that I like Sichuan food, and that this was up on the 60th floor of the building. Today, we happened to go there for lunch, ordering one of the big set menus (apparently they also have locations at Plaza Parkroyal as well as Grand Plaza Parkroyal).

It started out with the so-called "Seven Delicacies Combination," or a bunch of cold starters in little dishes spread out around the edges of the lazy Susan. I particularly liked a shredded chicken in peanut sauce starter, as well as a spicy sliced pork that tasted a lot like the "laundry" pork at Chuan (and just as spicy and tasty - yum). Next, we got the usual Chinese banquet dishes like Shark's Fin Soup and Steamed Garoupa. They also served us a "Spicy Seafood Combination," which featured sliced fish and prawns in a pretty darned spicy sauce. What was interesting was that it featured Sichuan-style spices, but it had the consistency and influence of Singaporean chili crab sauce - together with a fried mantou to boot. Regardless, I liked it; it really packed a punch.



Next came the Camphor Tea Smoked Duck, which seemed more like Peking Duck rather than any spicy Sichuan thing, but it was very aromatic and a welcome breather from all the spiciness earlier. The Fresh Scallop with Garlic & Chilli in Basket was also a nice one too, with crispy noodle-like things forming the "basket." The meal then closed off with the usual Ee Fu Noodles and Mango Pudding.

Being way up on the 60th floor, this place is definitely rather posh, complete with a traditional long-spouted tea kettle and a nice view. But sometimes it's a bit excessive, like the dry ice that they put in the glass gauntlet holding the mango pudding (and thus being a bit tacky). As pointed out above, it wasn't exactly pure Sichuan food either, so I probably wouldn't come here on my own. But for a big business lunch or banquet, I don't suppose that I'd mind (and might, in fact, prefer it), so long as the rest of your party doesn't mind spicy food.