It doesn’t take an expert to know that when it comes to serving memorable food, taste isn’t everything. Sure, it’s got to tickle the tastebuds, but it also has to look the part. And as both a content creator and a food lover, the search for my next meal is usually dictated by two things: how appealing the meal is to the camera, and how delicious it is likely to be. Even better if it elicits some “ooh”s” and “ahh”s” as it’s placed down on the table. After all, the camera eats first!
With all that in mind, there was no way I could go past China Chilli on my visit to Chatswood Interchange. If the bright neon sign doesn’t stop you in your tracks, then the big dishes of spicy goodness they’re bringing out to diners, fragrant and glistening with chilli oil, certainly will!
We ordered a few things, each of them as delicious as the last: Sichuan braised fish fillets with chilli, sliced pork belly in garlic chilli sauce with cucumber and some spicy noodles. One of their most famous dishes, and one of the most Instagrammable in my opinion, is the braised fish fillets with chilli – looking at this, you cannot deny that when it comes to attention-grabbing, a dish swimming with bright red chillies really takes the cake! Delve beneath the glimmering layer of chilli oil and you’ll find an endless supply of white fish fillets, cooked perfectly and ready for a delicious (and numbing) mouthful with rice. The chilled pork slices with garlic were incredibly delicious and more in hand being served rolled up made them fun to eat as well.
The meal is undoubtedly delicious, but I have to note here that I definitely broke into a mild sweat, thanks to those Sichuan chillies! The distinct Sichuan flavour that the region has become famed for is thanks to the peppercorns which are added to the dish, and when combined with a mix of fresh and dried chillies, chilli sauce and chilli oil, impart a numbing effect on the tongue and lips of the eater!
All up, I absolutely loved my experience at China Chili. This place is great for those who are spice (particularly Sichuan spice) veterans as they definitely don’t hold back on the serving size OR the flavour. For the uninitiated, you might like to start with a milder dish (string beans stir fried with pork mince) before working your way up!
Written by @spooningaust
Content Creator – Jason King
