Chef China — Hearty Sichuan Fare, Decently Executed Space Theme
You didn’t read that wrong. There’s a restaurant in Bugis that focuses on traditional Chinese cuisine and comes packaged with a cosmic sci-fi theme and its name is Chef China.
Sure, authentic Chinese food probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “space” but Chef China’s decor execution itself was unexpectedly sleek.
Two of its walls are covered with bright LED screens, flashing stills of space and astronauts, while the rest of the restaurant is wrapped in stark, clean whites like you’re inside a spacecraft.
But it’s not as gaudy as it sounds — the theme doesn’t feel obtrusive and is just a cute little facet of immersion. The plain whites also make it very easy on the eyes, though the bright lights coming from the wall embellishments might prove slightly annoying to some.
Earnestly Hearty
Chef China’s cooking is just straight-up, authentic comfort food — a healthy mix of the heavy flavours of both Sichuan and Dongbei food. Hence, obviously, the Chongqing Spicy Chicken ($18.80) was a must-order.
The restaurant lets you specifically order to your liking for spice and oiliness but of course, you have to brace yourself for spice if you’re eating Sichuan food. It’s got all the hallmarks of a good la zi ji — nice crackly chicken, a waft of sharp fragrance, and all the masochistic numbing you need, at least for the less spice-tolerant like me.
Similarly, the Sichuan Hot Spicy Soup ($12.80) was another sincerely hearty comfort dish that was teeming with flavour. Nothing like a ping hot soup that announces itself with a bright acidic piquancy while little whispers of heat sneak in.
Give them Stick
Chef China also offers quite a comprehensive selection of Chinese skewers, my favourite of which was the simple, well-seasoned Chinese Grilled Mushrooms ($4.50/3pcs) filled with juices.
While not perfectly clean in profile, the Roast Large Intestine ($4.50/3pcs) was also quite indulgent and slathered in plenty of spices, while sporting just the right amount of chewiness.
The meat skewers though were slightly hit or miss. The Mutton Kebabs ($3.90/3pcs) were decent sticks and carried a nice touch of gamey musk but could be a tad dry at parts.
Most of the skewers were pretty solid but the Roast Pork ($3/3pcs)? Its texture went awry as fatty parts turned hard and it felt like a bit of a tedious chew. Skip this.
Overall, Chef China makes for a pretty solid spot if you’re looking for exuberantly rich dishes. Don’t be fooled by the flashy astronauts and bright lights, the food here is as authentic and hearty as any of the quaint, dingy eateries.
Make your reservations here.
Chef China 华厨
- Address: 101 Beach Rd, #01-01, Singapore 189703
- Hours: (Mon–Sun) 11am–4am
*This was an invited tasting.