What I meant was, erm, wait, exactly just that. Think along the lines of spicy food, pungent food or food with repercussions. Think any more than that and I believe you are in the wrong place.
Great examples are like the "Smelly Tofu", a Hong Kong classic, tofu that stinks like sewage but according to those who dare, it tastes delicious once you put it in your mouth or Durian, the pungent smell that stains cars and living rooms, not to mention the breathe.
A milder example is Sze Chuan food which uses so much chili to burn any throat if it wishes to. Most examples of Szechuan cooking involves chili; I don't know about you but the more spicier it is, the more I want to dig into it, leaving your tongue numb and the lips swollen thus the torture and the pleasure. Contrary to the belief that cold water should quench your thirst or cool down the heat, it is said that warm water does the trick better but it still feels good to have cold water instead.
So where does one go for tongue numbing food in this part of town, you ask? Well try Red Hut.
Signs you are walking into an authentic Chinese restaurant that will serve you everything spicy:a menu in mainly mandarin characters and a DIY order system where you have to write the down the dishes you want in mandarin characters (although you can approach the waitress to help you do it) and red "chilies" hanging as decor.
Dishes come in three levels of spiciness; mild, medium and hot. Trust me unless you eat chilies for breakfast, stick to mild because that will still cause you to sweat.
Szechuan focuses on the use of chili oil and hotpots, this was one that used pork intestines. The first sip is actually almost refreshing and slightly minty from the pepper seeds before the chili knocks you off your seat.
Another classic dish is the deep fried chicken tossed with dried chilies. If you thought that this was a lot of chilies used, we looked at the tables around us to see similar dishes with probably three times the amount of chilies. Talk about spicy.
The Brinjal dish called "Yu Heung Kei Chi" is essentially a stir fry with minced meat, bean sauce and a little spice. This dish was probably the most comforting for the tongue to eat.
Alongside, we had a stir fry eel with almost raw garlic and a "sui zhu" beef which beef cooked in a chili broth. Pictures at this point was reduced to a blur, probably from all the smoke coming out from our nostrils.
Nothing about the meal speaks balance and mild, with flavours so strong, pungent and spicy that your tongue goes into over drive. Indulge in too much chilies and like one of my Gang bluntly commented, risk the wrath when it comes ou! t (too m uch detail).
So if you are game for some spicy food, give them a go.
Address and contact details:
Shop1 888 Boundary Rd,
Coopers Plains
Tel: 07 3161 9208
Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. For someone who doesn't like their meals too spicy, this was a fun experience, once in a blue moon but don't think I will be returning so soon.
