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The House of Tang probably isn't the first restaurant which comes to mind for a Sichuan meal. But once you've eaten there, you realise that this has one of the most authentic and stimulating Sichuan dishes anywhere south of Chengdu or southwest of Taiwan.

Television chef Martin Yan thinks so and I agree. And if you're ready to venture deep into the heart of Yau Ma Tei (the restaurant is a 15-minute walk from the MTR station), you'll say so, too.

First, though, the atmosphere. The dining room is large, well laid out, with unobtrusive objets d'art - a few nicely lit porcelain bowls and delicately carved marble screens scattered around the room. Unlike most other Chinese restaurants, the lighting is subtle.

Best of all, House of Tang has a 'no smoking' policy, and asks guests their preference.

As for the food, the prosaic descriptions in the menu - for example, 'chicken chunks in bamboo basket' - mask the delightful morsels that they are.

House of Tang is almost modest in its written explanations but it has a secret up its culinary sleeve.

Since the menu looked a little dull, the four of us asked the waiters for suggestions. Once you rule out Cantonese choices, you are in for a more spicy treat.

A trolley with appetisers is usually wheeled to the table. However, the selection didn't look exciting and when the waiter suggested the 'preserved carp', we didn't take to the idea.

But he insisted, and he was proved right.

The description is wholly misleading. The carp is actually double-steamed to allow all the juices to condense on the outside. Then a subtle melange of dark Chinese vinegar, a little garlic and a few sprigs of spring onion are added. The result: flavourful meat flaking off the bone with a wonderfully natural sauce.

I always order ma po beancurd at Sichuan restaurants, and am almost always disappointed. The combination of beancurd chunks and ground pork or beef is usually presented in a soupy stew, with just a touch of pepper. At House Of Tang, the homely dish was in a class of its own.

First, the bean curd and beef were firm pieces on the plate, not dunked into a soup. Furthermore, it was pleasantly peppery, complemented by the addition of green herbs.

This, I learned later, was because they used real Sichuan bean paste.

The sweet and sour prawn balls were also exceptional. The prawns were firm, with a sweet soy sauce, a touch of sugar, Chinese vinegar and peanuts. That special bean paste gave it the unusual taste.

'Chicken chunks' was unique as well. The chicken is de-boned, shaped into balls and covered with different peppers, both mild and sharp. These are dunked into the restaurant's own XO sauce if necessary. I found the peppery chicken taste more to my liking.

Sichuan dim sum is another speciality here. The sweet snacks sounded rather run-of-the mill (sweetened rice cake or potato cake with red bean paste), but the savoury ones were extraordinary.

The combination of cold shredded chicken on cucumbers and noodles made from seaweed has a fresh tingly flavour. The beef roll is equally interesting, the meat encased in a filo-thin pastry.

Another time, we will sample the eel, the panfried sliced lamb and more fish dishes. For winter, we mean to try its Sichuan hot pot. The base is made up of fresh fish, beef or eel, with leeks, scallions, bean curd, mushrooms and baby corn added.

We did have room for dessert. Stick to the 'honeyed glutinous rice and assorted nuts', it is as sweet and luscious as it sounds.

As for the restaurant's secret? It is Xue Yucai, the head chef. Xue is from Chengdu, and, like his father is a noted chef. Assisting him are three other Chengdu chefs, the kind who aren't afraid to add a few more peppers when necessary.

Xue insists on authenticity. 'We bring down as many ingredients from Sichuan as possible. The usual peppers are too hot, so we have our Fagara peppers,' he said.

'These are native to the province and have a sweeter, more herbal taste. The bean paste you have in the ma po beancurd can't be bought in Hong Kong, and we have no substitutes.

'For cooking wine, we have only distilled spirits from Sichuan. Ditto for the sticky rice. Other restaurants smoke the chicken or duck in tea leaves. We prefer to use our Sichuan root herbs.' Prices are moderate, and without wine, four can eat for less than $1,000. The problem lies with the Chinese wines, which are exorbitantly overpriced. The idea of paying $600 for Sichuan's most famous wine, Wu Liang Ye, is plain silly.

HOUSE OF TANG Metropole Hotel, 75 Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei; Tel 2761-1711 x 519; Hours: 11am-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm. Overall: *** Value: *** 



Tangy taste of Sichuan