Sichuan Alley Tasting Session 2023
51 Telok Ayer Street #01-01
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 10:30am - 10pm,
Sat - Sun: 10:30am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/sichuanalley/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Her Pen And Fork, Chubby Botak Koala, and Purple Taste.
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| President Rice Noodles (SGD $24.50) |
Casual Sichuan Fare For Everyday Dining
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $23 per person.
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Formerly 51 Soho and then Basdban, the same owners behind Birds Of A Feather and Halcyon & Crane have quickly pivoted when their last few concepts didn't quite work out, re-launching the space as an expansion of their Sichuan Alley brand in May 2023, which as a brand was established since November 2021. Positioned as a quick casual everyday dining concept focused on Sichuan / Szechuan Mian Yang rice noodles, the refreshed Sichuan Alley sees good crowds during weekdays.
Ambience at Sichuan Alley is casual and relaxing. Styled like a traditional noodle house, the cafe-lounge is warmly lit, with traditional lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The lounge furnishings are lower than normal, designed for partial reclining, and are decently comfortable. There's also sturdy wooden dining tables and chairs. There's limited indoor seating, but a good amount of outdoor seating, which is thankfully sheltered.
Service at Sichuan Alley is friendly and efficient. Staff are quick to greet and seat guests. They accord each table good attention (provided you catch their attention first), and respond promptly. They offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, and introduce each dish as they serve, demonstrating competent menu knowledge. Interestingly, they've printed their menu in the form of small books, which you can take-away as a keepsake.
Food at Sichuan Alley is traditional Chinese Sichuan / Szechuan cuisine, focused on the classic Mian Yang rice noodles and accompanying appetisers and sides associated with the dish. Chef Eugene See brings his culinary expertise, re-creating authentic bowls derived from painstaking research and established business connections. Portions are large for individuals. Prices are comparable to most cafes, budget about SGD $23 per person.
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| Sichuan Alley Exterior |
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| Sichuan Alley Interior |
The Black Plum Iced Tea (SGD $8) features a refreshing blend of black tea, dried plums / prunes, and orange zest. This carries a light fruity earthy sour zesty sweet flavour, the distinct contrast pleasing on the palate. Good!
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| Black Plum Iced Tea (SGD $8) |
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| Black Plum Iced Tea |
The Cocktail Bamboo Breeze (SGD $16) has a edible chocolate panda lounging at the top of the bamboo-shaped mug, super cute. The blend of gin, green tea, pineapple juice, peach juice, and jasmine flowers result in a refreshing fruity floral earthy sweet boozy flavour, a great thirst quencher. Highly recommended!
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| Cocktail Bamboo Breeze (SGD $16) |
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| Cocktail Bamboo Breeze |
The Cocktail Ume Plum Wine (SGD $18) features a blend of plum wine and orange zest, poured over a pitted dried plum / prune, infusing the beverage with earthy sour zesty sweet boozy flavour. Rather strong and potent, has a nice kick. Good!
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| Cocktail Ume Plum Wine (SGD $18) |
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| Cocktail Ume Plum Wine |
The Cocktail Osmanthus Rice Wine (SGD $16) feels like a dessert beverage, with its blend of osmanthus flower infused rice wine, white rum, passionfruit juice, and fermented rice cubes. With a frothy head and bright floral fruity herbal sweet boozy flavour, it's served in a large tea cup with a wide brim, allowing its fragrant aroma to diffuse. Good!
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| Cocktail Osmanthus Rice Wine (SGD $16) |
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| Cocktail Osmanthus Rice Wine |
The Cocktail No. 3 Lady (SGD $18) features a blend of No. 3 London dry gin, white wine, pink grapefruit juice, rose petals, and lychee liqueur, garnished with a large juicy lychee. Rich with fruity floral sweet flavour, this helped alleviate some of the full-flavoured dishes. Highly recommended!
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| Cocktail No. 3 Lady (SGD $18) |
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| Cocktail No. 3 Lady |
The Mala Black Fungus (SGD $5.50) has crunchy black fungus / wood ear fungus and crisp celery tossed with black vinegar, garnished with bird's eye chili / chili padi and coriander. Carries vegetal sour sweet spice flavour, yum. Good!
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| Mala Black Fungus (SGD $5.50) |
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| Mala Black Fungus |
Loved the Roasted Yu Xiang Eggplant (SGD $9), which was coated in thick yu xiang gravy, resulting in a bright vegetal sweet salty savoury spice earthy herbal flavour. The eggplant / aubergine / brinjal was perfectly cooked, not mushy, with a tender juicy bite, very satisfying. Highly recommended!
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| Roasted Yu Xiang Eggplant (SGD $9) |
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| Roasted Yu Xiang Eggplant |
The Fried Pig Intestines With Onion (SGD $7.50) was surprisingly good. Clean without any funky taste, the pig's large intestines are stuffed with yellow onions and deep-fried. The results in the exterior bring crisp crunchy, while the interior remains tender juicy, carrying vegetal sweet savoury salty spice flavour. Highly recommended!
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| Fried Pig Intestines With Onion (SGD $7.50) |
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| Fried Pig Intestines With Onion |
The unique Smoked Pork Liver (SGD $7.50) features thin sliced pig's liver filled with salted egg yolk and smoked, resulting in a tender chewy texture with smoky earthy mineral savoury salty spice flavour. Rather an acquired taste. Personally, I didn't like it. Could be improved.
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| Smoked Pork Liver (SGD $7.50) |
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| Smoked Pork Liver |
The Zhang Fei Beef Slice (SGD $11) pays homage to its namesake warrior, featuring thinly sliced beef that's marinated and smoked. With a tender firm chew to texture and bold smoky meaty savoury spice salty flavour, this makes for a good pairing with drinks. Worth ordering!
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| Zhang Fei Beef Slice (SGD $11) |
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| Zhang Fei Beef Slice |
The Braised Ox Tongue (SGD $11) was delicious, with the tender ox tongue dressed in a home-made green pepper chili gravy. Bright with meaty savoury spice flavour, this was rather addictive. Highly recommended!
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| Braised Ox Tongue (SGD $11) |
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| Braised Ox Tongue |
The Braised Beef With Bamboo Shoots (SGD $9) features cubes of tender braised beef, crisp leeks, and crunchy smoked young bamboo shoots, served in braising gravy and garnished with coriander. This practically needs to be paired with white rice, for its rich full-flavoured meaty vegetal salty savoury sweet herbal flavour, yum. Good!
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| Braised Beef With Bamboo Shoots (SGD $9) |
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| Braised Beef With Bamboo Shoots |
The Lalalala Fried Chicken (SGD $22) has been right-sized, and the tender chicken cubes, plump clams, crisp white sesame seeds, and crunchy pickled green chili, are all wok-fried to perfection. As the house take on laziji / spicy firecracker chicken / mala chicken, this bold sweet savoury spice nutty flavours, and is satisfying and addictive. Would order again. Highly recommended!
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| Lalalala Fried Chicken (SGD $22) |
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| Lalalala Fried Chicken |
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| Lalalala Fried Chicken |
The Mini Hot Pot (SGD $14) has a portion size large enough for sharing. The savoury sweet earthy spicy bubbling broth is filled with a variety of ingredients, including bouncy deshelled tiger prawns, crunchy young bamboo shoots, crunchy black fungus / wood ear fungus, crisp bean sprouts, tender shiitake mushrooms, bouncy clams, and slippery liang fen / mung bean jelly noodles, all of which pick up the flavours of the broth. Best paired with white rice. Good!
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| Mini Hot Pot (SGD $14) |
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| Mini Hot Pot |
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| Mini Hot Pot |
The vegetarian-friendly Guo Kui Liang Fei (SGD $7) features the signature guo kui flatbread, crisp with a bready sweet nutty flavour, filled with crisp fresh lettuce, red chili oil, and slippery liang fen / mung bean jelly noodles. This has a vegetal sweet spicy flavour, and is very filling. Personally, I didn't quite like it for being overly starchy. Could be improved.
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| Guo Kui Liang Fei (SGD $7) |
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| Guo Kui Liang Fei |
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| Guo Kui Liang Fei |
The Guo Kui Braised Pork Belly (SGD $8.50) features the signature guo kui flatbread, crisp with a bready sweet nutty flavour, filled with crisp fresh lettuce, red chili oil, and tender braised pork belly. Succulent and juicy, this carries bold vegetal meaty savoury salty sweet spice flavour. Delicious, though somewhat messy to eat. Good!
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| Guo Kui Braised Pork Belly (SGD $8.50) |
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| Guo Kui Braised Pork Belly |
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| Guo Kui Braised Pork Belly |
The Hot & Sour Vermicelli (SGD $7) has a robust savoury sour spicy broth, filled with crispy fried peas, crunchy celery, soft pickled mustard greens, and slippery smooth sweet potato flour noodles, all of which pick up the flavours of the broth. I added a touch of black vinegar for a stronger sour kick. Worth ordering!
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| Hot & Sour Vermicelli (SGD $7) |
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| Hot & Sour Vermicelli |
The Crispy Pork Dumplings (SGD $6) or pan-fried duo tie / potsticker dumplings were perfectly executed. Firm and crisp on the outside, with a golden-brown colour, bite in to reveal the piping-hot juicy tender filling of minced pork and chives, carrying meaty vegetal sweet salty savoury flavour. Paired with a red chili oil on the side, for added spicy kick. Highly recommended!
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| Crispy Pork Dumplings (SGD $6) |
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| Crispy Pork Dumplings |
The Hot & Sour Pork Dumplings (SGD $6) feature the same excellent dumplings of minced pork and chives, this time boiled and immersed in a hot and sour broth. With a juicy tender chew to texture, and bright meaty vegetal sweet salty savoury sour spicy flavour, these were yummy. Also known as Hong You Chao Shou, Suan La Chao Shou, or Pork Dumplings In Chili Oil, the Hot & Sour Pork Dumplings is a classic Sichuan / Szechuan appetizer. Highly recommended!
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| Hot & Sour Pork Dumplings (SGD $6) |
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| Hot & Sour Pork Dumplings |
The Mushroom With Chicken Broth Rice Noodles (SGD $11.50) is a wholesome and comforting bowl of noodles. The long silky rice noodles are garnished with tender duo of mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji), crisp leeks, spongy pig's skin, and crisp spring onions, served in a mellow broth of chicken and mushroom stock. This holds grainy vegetal earthy sweet savoury flavour, nicely nourishing. Highly recommended!
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| Mushroom With Chicken Broth Rice Noodles (SGD $11.50) |
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| Mushroom With Chicken Broth Rice Noodles |
Loved the Fresh Chili Minced Beef Noodles (SGD $13.50). The chewy wheat noodles are garnished with grainy minced beef chili, soft chickpeas, crunchy black fungus / wood ear fungus, and juicy green chili peppers. Mix well, and each mouthful rewards with vegetal meaty earthy savoury salty sweet spice flavours. So delicious and addictive, we kept reaching for more. Would return and order this again. Highly recommended!
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| Fresh Chili Minced Beef Noodles (SGD $13.50) |
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| Fresh Chili Minced Beef Noodles |
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| Fresh Chili Minced Beef Noodles |
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| Fresh Chili Minced Beef Noodles |
A house signature, the President Rice Noodles (SGD $24.50) is a sampling platter, large for individuals, best shared. This has Mian Yang Rice Noodles With Chickpeas, Bok Choy, Fried Egg, with the chewy rice noodles, soft chickpeas, crunchy bok choy / Chinese cabbage, tender fried egg, and crunchy black fungus / wood ear fungus, all combining for grainy vegetal earthy savoury eggy sweet spice flavours. The Braised Meat Trio, comprising springy Braised Pig's Large Intestines with meaty savoury salty herbal flavour, the tender Braised Pork Ribs with meaty salty savoury herbal sweet flavour, and the chewy Braised Beef Brisket with meaty savoury earthy salty flavour. We observed a lone customer finishing the entire platter, incredible. Perhaps when I was younger, I could have done likewise. Good!
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| President Rice Noodles (SGD $24.50) |
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| Mian Yang Rice Noodles With Chickpeas, Bok Choy, Fried Egg |
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| Braised Meat Trio |
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| Braised Pig's Large Intestines |
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| Braised Pork Ribs |
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| Braised Beef Brisket |
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| President Rice Noodles |
Enjoyed our visit to Sichuan Alley! The ambience is nicely relaxing, the service prompt, and the food quality is good. Prices are comparable to most cafes, and represent good value for the portion sizes. Will revisit Sichuan Alley soon!
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CONVERSATION