Sichuan Rouge, a vibrant new culinary destination, has just opened at Soundwill Plaza II, Midtown, Causeway Bay, paying homage to the region’s mesmerising flavours. Helmed by acclaimed Sichuan chef Hu Taiqing and local culinary veteran Kenny Chan Kai Tak, it redefines fine Sichuan cuisine by making it accessible and affordable.
With authentic ingredients meticulously sourced from Sichuan province and Chongqing, the culinary team challenges the common misconception that Sichuan cuisine is merely about its notorious ‘mala’. Diners can savour a rich tapestry of flavours that highlight the depth and complexity of this beloved culinary tradition.
Seating 76 diners over more than 2,000 sq. ft, Sichuan Rouge’s interior is inspired by the glamorous nightlife of 1930s Shek Tong Tsui. Antique Chinese hardwood cabinets, dark wood-grained tables, a wooden archway, beams adorned with lanterns and ornate window frames evoke rich sentimentality.
Old-fashioned neon signs with Chinese quotes and soft orange-red lighting enhance the colour palette of deep reds, which extends from hand-painted floral wall panels to crimson velvet seating and reflects the vibrant essence of Sichuan cuisine.
The kitchen is led by two of China’s most talented creators of Sichuan gastronomy. Lauded as a Culinary Master of China, Chef Hu is an iconic figure in Sichuan province and Chongqing, known for his contemporary flair and crowd-pleasing hotpot brands.
In a glittering career spanning more than 30 years, he has won numerous honours, including the ‘Gold Award’ in the 7th China Hotel Industry Professional Skill Competition – Sichuan District, and the ‘King of Chef’ award in the debut edition of a competition for famed chefs and restaurants. Chef Hu regularly serves as a guest lecturer and competition judge and appears on television food shows in mainland China, further consolidating his elevated status in the industry.
Known locally as a walking dictionary of contemporary Sichuan cuisine, Chef Chan hails from a family of culinary artists who once operated a Sichuan bean-paste factory in Hong Kong. In his nearly 60 years as a chef, he has consulted for Michelin-starred Sichuan restuarants and helmed the kitchens of numerous top-rated establishments, including the Michelin-recommended Yunyan, Lumiere, Sichuan Lab, Sze Chuen Lau in Wanchai, and the World Trade Center Club. Highlights of his distinguished career include cooking for global political and business leaders and hosting banquets for visiting British royalty.
Revered for a complexity embracing a “hundred dishes and hundreds of flavours”, Sichuan cuisine hinges upon the clever and careful use of local spices – an art of seasoning perfected over more than 3,000 years. There are 24 classic Sichuan flavour profiles, each imbued with the wisdom of the region’s Ba-Shu food culture and achieved through precise matching of ingredients. At its heart are two key ingredient trios: palate-numbing Sichuan peppercorns, hot and spicy red chilli, and pepper; and spring onion, ginger and garlic.
Challenging the notion that Sichuan food is solely about numbing spiciness, or mala, Sichuan Rouge presents a rich and complex array of flavours. The wide-ranging menu of appetisers, soups, classic hot dishes, authentic rice and noodle preparations and desserts reveals the region’s lesser-known authentic essences while showcasing the creative ingenuity and Chinese and Western sensibilities of its master chefs, who have sourced more than 40 spices and herbs from Sichuan and Chongqing.
Among must-try appetisers are Chilled Razor Clam with Sichuan Peppercorn and Mint (HK$178/2pcs), which combines plump razor clams with a refined sauce of spicy and numbing flavours; and the popular Chengdu street food of Sliced Beef and Ox Tripe in Chilli Sauce (HK$128),whose secret recipe of red chilli oil with a splash of Baoning black vinegar beautifully balances spice and sour.
A sprinkling of rock salt elevates the peppery, aromatic and melt-in-the-mouth serving of Deep-Fried Sliced Beef with Sichuan Peppercorn with Rock Salt (HK$168). Young Pigeon with Pepper (HK$98) features lip-numbing teng jiao (Sichuan pepper) oil; and delicate yet meaty abalone from pristine waters has a fiery kick in Fresh South African Abalone with Chilli (HK$228).
Authentic Sichuan-style Hot and Sour Soup with Freshly Ground Pepper (HK$88 per person) warms the soul with each spoonful, while the refined broth of Double Boiled Matsutake and Conch Soup with Conpoy (HK$168 per person) pairs the prized duo of matsutake mushrooms and sea snails, delivering delightful essences from the forest and the sea. Delicate fish maw, tender chicken and the earthy richness of morels combine for the luxurious Double Boiled Fish Maw and Chicken Soup with Morels (HK$168 per person).
Home-style main dishes include the invitingly spicy Chilli Fried Smoked Eels Wrapped with Pork Intestines (HK$388), where smoked boneless local white eels are stuffed with chitlins marinated in fermented chilli bean paste, then diced and garnished with fried chillies in a display of superb craftsmanship. Featuring ox tripe and luncheon meat, Duck Blood in Chilli Sauce (HK$338) elevates a street-food tradition; and the ultra luxe Stir-Fried Coral Lobster Mapo Tofu (HK$338) sees a 1-catty lobster (about 500g) paired with silky tofu and doused in hot red chilli oil for a fresh, spicy aroma and taste that will linger long in the memory.
Sautéed Prawn with Eggplant in Sweet and Chilli Kungpao Sauce (HK$288) offers rich flavours, plus the pleasing textural contrast of crisp on the outside and tender within. Twice-Cooked Pork with Black Bean and Soybean Paste (HK$158) is a mellow, savoury dish of Sichuan farm flavours, while Sichuan Style Boiled Angus Beef (HK$288)
is another authentic preparation, offering soft meat and moreish spice.
Regional dessert favourites balance the bold flavours of these savoury sensations to achieve a harmonious dining experience – including the must-try Black Sugar Glutinous Rice Cake (HK$48/4pcs) and the cooling citrus treat of Ice Jelly with Pomelo (HK$48).
“As a native of Sichuan, I am excited to bring the authentic flavours of my homeland to Hong Kong diners. At Sichuan Rouge, we celebrate the rich culinary heritage of the region, showcasing its wide array of intricate and layered tastes that go beyond just spiciness,” says Chef Hu Taiqing.
“Having spent almost six decades in Sichuan kitchens, I believe every dish on the Sichuan Rouge menu reflects the cuisine’s rich history. It is our honour to showcase traditional techniques while infusing creativity, inviting guests to experience the full spectrum of the region’s culinary treasures,” says Chef Kenny Chan Kai Tak.
To accentuate these diverse charms, Sichuan Rouge partners with Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Distillery for two perfect qingxiang (lightly aromatic) baijiu pairings with its standout dishes. QingHua Fenjiu 20 Years International Edition (HK$1,580) and QingHua Fenjiu 30 Years International Edition (HK$1,780), treasured for their rich floral, fruit and nut aromas, are aged in Qing Hua (Chinese porcelain) earthenware.
Sichuan Rouge is located at 27/F, Soundwill Plaza II, Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, and opens from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Sunday and public holidays. A dedicated lunch menu will be launched in early August 2025.
For enquiries or reservations, please call (852) 9370-6345, WhatsApp (852) 7045-4963, or email reservations@sichuanrouge.com.
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