I’m not big on Sichuan cuisine, but I always look forward to a visit to Chuan Wei Xuan. Their absurdly appetising 口水鸡 (Steamed Chicken with Chili Sauce, $13.90++) ignited my desire for spicy Sichuan cuisine, and it’s always on my table along with a bowl of rice every single time.⠀
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This 口水鸡 lives up to its literal translation of saliva chicken, as this poached chicken dish is guaranteed to get your mouth waterworks going. The chili oil scintillatingly spicy, and it hurts so good. The chili oil is gloriously garlicky and stunningly sapid, slightly sour and numbing, thanks to the abundance of Sichuan peppers used in the cooking of this dish. The chilled chicken is remarkably tender, with porcelain, supple skin, and the chicken acts as a sponge to soak up the violently spicy yet supremely savoury chili sauce. It’ll hurt you and you will love it, believe me.