SPICY & SALTY Hunan Cuisine for Stress Relief?

Hunan cuisine and Sichuan cuisine are the twin evils and delights (depending on your spice tolerance) of Chinese cuisine. But, just as you're able to tell twins apart based on subtle features, Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine are distinct. Sichuan cuisine often incorporates the Sichuan peppercorn into their dishes that numbs the tongue and creates a tingling sensation. In contrast, Hunan cuisine is explosively hot, spicy, and oily in the best way possible - marked by a bunch of red chilis.

The interior is unapologetically bold. With red wallpaper and dim lights, something about it screams Hunan cuisine. Many traditional elements of Chinese culture such as Zhongguojie are hung on plants and adds to the overall traditional-chinese architecture. Across the restaurant, there's an expansive array of alcoholic beverages displayed for their bar.

Despite the bold interior design that incorporates traditional paintings of temples, lanterns, and maroon-red seating, nothing clashes. Maybe its the deep red color instead of a bright red tone that blends together the designs nicely.

The porcelain plates and bowls are striking. With floral patterns and blue, red, pink, and yellow color combinations, the cutlery integrates seamlessly into the restaurant's colorful architecture. I couldn't wait to put some delicious food onto the plate, so let's get into it.

Dishes:

Green Beans with Chili and Peppercorns - 32 rmb

Vegetables are something that children often despise, but you can't dislike stir-fried green beans prepared the right way. Stir-fried under heavy heat and blistered by the wok, these green beans go extremely well with rice. Of course, the green breans are spicy in character with Hunan cuisine. Crunchy, flavorful, and laced with spices, its a must-try here.

Shrimp with Garlic & Chili Sauce - 99 rmb

Aromatic and flavorful, the garlic and chili sauce carries the dish. The other elements of the dish are also well thought-out. The shrimp is neatly arranged and cut open, making it convennient to enjoy. For that amount of shrimp, the price was also fairly reasonable. The natural sweetness of the shrimp merges with the fiery sauce, with whole chuncks of chili and peanuts to mitigate the spice, drizzled on top of the dish. It's a great seafood option to explore.

Crispy Pork Knucles with Chili Powder - 26 rmb

I struggled for quite a long time between choosing these pork knucles vs. the famous Hunan cumin ribs. The crispy pork knucles did not dissapoint, but I'd definitely recommend trying out the ribs as well. With crackly and golden brown fat,rendered out on the outside, and gelatinous tendons on the inside, the pork knuckles deliver on richness. If you've ever tried bone marrow, think of bone marrow, but in solid form. Without the seasoning on the pork knuckles though, you would tire after taking one bite. The chili powder seasoning, which definitely has MSG in it (but that's not necessarily bad), helps cut through the gelatinous richness. A squeeze of lemon on top, and you'll be on your way to ordering a second plate.

Stir-fried Beef with Chili and Pickled Peppers - 62 rmb

Beef dishes at chinese restaurants are always special. They taste different from anything you try to recreate at home. One of their tricks is to tenderize the meet in corn starch until it becomes a light and perfectly bouncy textures. There's not much to describe for the dish. You can already imagine how it taste - beef, chili, and some coriander to add depth. What could go wrong?

Braised Spinach - est. 15 rmb

One of the only mild dishes on the menu, the spinach is a relief from all the peppers and explosive flavors. Soft and delicate, the spinach leafs melt on your mouth. It's strange to describe vegetables as melting in your mouth, but the texture of the spinach is truly satisfying. It's soft, but it isn't complete mush either. It's lightly seasoned with salt and served directly.

Summary:

YuLi Hunan restaurant is great before exam week to blow off some steam. The spicy kick in each one of it's dishes represents Hunan cuisine. I'm not kidding when I say its difficult to find one mild dish from its entire menu. If you think tabasco hot sauce is spicy, it might not be the best restaurant for you. But... for those that can handle spice, it's an amazing spot: hefty portions and well-prepared food with fresh ingredients. It's also more suitable to go with family and friends, because you will be sweating from the spice. For a unique taste of a unique Chinese regional cuisine, give YuLi Hunan restaurant a visit. It's also quite affordable!

Address: YuLi Hunan Restaurant (HuaiHai Middle Road no. 1333, Lanfan Plaza F1)