Hong Kong’s Grand Majestic Sichuan is known for unravelling one of the most complex cuisines in the Chinese canon. It is a destination that cleverly merges the past with the present, with extravagant décor, European-style service, and a comprehensive wine list to complement a menu with seven newly unveiled dishes covering the full Sichuan flavour profile spectrum.
Visiting the Grand Majestic Sichuan is more than an opportunity to experience the finest Sichuan culinary delights. It is an opportunity for guests to go back to the heyday of 1970s supper clubs, where they can embark on a sensational journey into the flame-fired depths of Sichuan cookery via a menu developed by Executive Chef Theign Phan and the renowned Sichuan food expert Fuchsia Dunlop (below).
To elevate the dining experience, Grand Majestic Sichuan has added seven new dishes. These showcase the rich tapestry of Sichuan’s culinary heritage, focusing on the full spectrum of the classic 24 Sichuan flavour profiles with three additional modern Sichuan flavour profiles.
Diners will experience the diverse range of Sichuan cuisine’s flavours, from the zesty kick of hot and sour tofu to the smoky delight of bamboo and broccolini wok-fried with Sichuan bacon. Every dish perfectly showcases the unique textures and tastes that make Sichuan cuisine a celebrated culinary tradition.
The New Dishes
Grand Majestic Sichuan introduces seven new captivating dishes showcasing the diverse flavours of Sichuan cuisine starting from 20 February. A timeless Sichuan delicacy, Chilled Pork Belly with Spicy Garlic Sauce is reimagined with Australian Bangalow pork belly in garlic paste sauce, paired with cucumber slices, while Slow-Cooked Goose Liver with Spicy and Numbing Sauce offers a modern twist with goose liver slow-cooked in chicken fat, with an exquisite ‘drunken sauce’ composed of fermented glutinous rice wine, house-made chilli oil, and Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Drawing inspiration from Sichuan’s vibrant street food culture, the Hot & Sour Tofu features house-made tofu pudding, pickled vegetables and spicy and numbing sesame sauce, customisable with an array of flavourful toppings including crispy yellow beans and Sichuan peppercorn. Blending homestyle warmth with fragrant spiciness, the Smoked Bamboo and Broccolini dish showcases smoky bamboo shoots and crispy broccolini florets that pair harmoniously with fatty Sichuan bacon, fiery chillies, and savoury fermented black beans.
Wok-fried Baby Prawn with Sugar Peas offers a salty, savoury flavour, featuring the subtle interplay of tender baby prawns and crispy sugar peas enhanced by the aromatic notes of yellow lantern chilli paste. For a taste of tradition with a modern twist, savour the Steamed Murray Cod with Chopped Salted Chillies inspired by the iconic Hunan dish Fish Head with fermented chilli peppers. Murray cod is renowned for its flaky and fatty flesh, elevated by the punchy flavours of chopped salted chillies that add a fiery kick to every bite.
Finally, indulge in the Dry-Fried Beef Slivers with Sichuan Chillies and Garlic Sprout, a beloved Sichuan classic that boasts a fiery kick from the marriage of tender beef slivers, crunchy bamboo shoots, and fragrant Sichuan chillies wok-fried with a special numbing spice mix—perfect for a robust drinking snack.
Glossary of Twenty-four Classic Sichuan Flavour Profiles
*=Signature dish at Grand Majestic Sichuan
Recognised for its bold and vibrant flavours, Sichuan cuisine awakens the taste buds with its blend of spicy, sweet, sour and numbing sensations. Each dish is a masterpiece of balance, combining the distinctive flavours of Sichuan peppercorns, chilli peppers, garlic and ginger to create a symphony of taste that is both exciting and unforgettable.
Below, you can discover the full range of Sichuan flavour profiles at Grand Majestic Sichuan, as well as examples of dishes for each taste sensation:
1. Chopped Salted Chilli Flavour (Modern Flavour Profile): This condiment is made from finely chopped red chilli peppers. It adds intense spiciness and vibrant colour to dishes.
Notable dishes: Steamed Ping Tung Aubergine with Scorched Green Chillies, Steamed Murray Cod with Chopped Salted Red Chillies
2. Fish Fragrant Flavour: This distinctive taste profile combines savoury, sweet, sour, and spicy elements, achieved through ingredients like ginger, garlic, scallions, and pickled red chillies.
Notable dishes: Fish Fragrant Aubergine, Fish Fragrant Prawns
3. Five Spice Flavour: A blend of five spices (sometimes more), often including star anise and Sichuan pepper, perfect for a variety of dishes.
Notable dishes: Tea Smoked Duck
4. Fragrant Boozy Flavour: This flavour profile incorporates fermented rice wine for a bold flavour, pairing well with meat, poultry and vegetables.
Notable dishes: Slow Cooked Goose Liver with Chilli Oil and Fermented Rice Wine Sauce
5. Fragrant Fermented Sauce Flavour: A rich, slightly sweet taste achieved with fermented bean pastes like doubanjiang, enhancing many dishes with a complex aroma and umami depth.
Notable dishes: Tea Smoked Duck, Dan Dan Noodles
6. Fragrant-Hot Flavour (Modern Flavour Profile): This distinct flavour comes from Sichuan peppercorns, which provide a tingling, numbing sensation and chilli peppers’ heat.
Notable dishes: Wok-fried grouper Fillets
7. Garlic Paste Flavour: Garlic as the star, simmered with chilli oil, sesame oil, brown sugar and Chinese spices for a more subtle spice.
Notable dishes: Chilled Pork Belly
8. Ginger Juice Flavour: Commonly found in cold meat and fresh vegetable dishes, this flavour combines fresh ginger with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and vinegar.
Notable dishes: Chilled Edamame Beans with Ginger Sauce
9. Homestyle Flavour: A harmonious blend of spicy, numbing, savoury and subtly sweet notes achieved through ingredients like fermented black beans, soy sauce and pickled chillies, offering a nuanced and familiar taste reminiscent of traditional home-cooked dishes.
Notable dishes: Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork, Pan-Seared Whole Fish with Chilli Bean Paste*
10. Lychee Flavour: Lychee flavour, a sweet and sour “mother sauce” in Sichuan cooking, enhances stir-fries with proteins such as chicken, pork and shrimp.
Notable dishes: Kung Pao Prawns, Kung Pao Chicken
11. Mustard Flavour: Balances salt and sourness from vinegar and mustard, perfect for cold dishes.
Notable dishes: Mustard Beef Cubes with Zucchini
12. Numbing and Hot Flavour: Known as “ma-la”, combining the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns with the heat of chilli peppers and offering a distinctive experience of tingling numbness and spicy heat on the palate.
Notable dishes: Firecracker Chicken, Sea of Chillies Fish, Wafer Thin Beef, Wok Fried Whole Crab*
13. Pickled Chilli Flavour (Modern Flavour Profile): In Sichuan cuisine, “paojiao” （泡椒）refers to the pickled chilli flavour, adding a salty, sour and slightly spicy taste using the “erjingtiao” （二荊條） chilli lightly pickled in brine.
Notable dishes: Pickled Chilli Beef
14. Red Oil Flavour: Chilli oil is combined with sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar for a balanced umami, spice, sweetness, and salt effect.
Notable dishes: Chilli Pork Wonton
15. Salt-Savoury Flavour: Focuses on umami flavours balanced with salt, sugar, soy sauce and sesame for both hot and cold dishes.
Notable dishes: Wok Fried Baby Prawns with Sugar Peas
16. Salt-Sweet Flavour: A mix of umami and sweet flavours, customisable with peppers, Shaoxing wine and spices based on personal preferences.
Notable dishes: Sweet Cooked Rice Pudding with Pork Fat
17. Scorched Chilli Flavour: This is achieved by balancing heat and chillies without allowing them to burn, often combined with Sichuan peppers and other ingredients.
Notable dishes: Sichuan Fragrant Lamb with Cumin
18. Sesame Paste Flavour: This uses toasted sesame paste, along with sesame oil, stock, and sugar. It is often served cold, with the option to add chilli oil.
Notable dishes: Dan Dan Noodle, Bang Bang Chicken
19. Sichuan Pepper Flavour: Fresh peppers mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil, commonly served in cold meat dishes, especially poultry.
Notable dishes: Chilled Sichuan Pepper Bamboo Shoots
20. Sichuan Pepper and Salt Flavour: Ideal for dipping both sweet and savoury foods, known for its essential fragrance and freshness.
Notable dishes: Salt & Pepper Tofu
21. Smoked Flavour: Created by smoking meat or poultry over different materials like wood and leaves for a unique taste.
Notable dishes: Smoked Bamboo and Broccolini
22. Sour and Hot Flavour: Mixes the intense heat of chilli peppers with acidic elements such as vinegar, pickled vegetables, and the naturally acidic Sichuan peppercorn, resulting in a signature “ma-la” sensation that is both spicy and numbing.
Notable dishes: Hot & Sour Tofu, Hot & Sour Wood Ear, Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens
23. Strange Flavour: Known as “Guaiwei” （怪味）in Chinese, Strange Flavour is a complex and unique sauce combining sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and numbing flavours.
Notable dishes: Bang Bang Chicken
24. Sweet Fragrant Flavour: Spiciness is balanced with sweetness, using sugar or fruit juices for a pleasant and fragrant taste alongside the heat.
Notable dishes: Silver Ear Fungus with Chrysanthemum Resin Rock Sugar Soup
25. Sweet-sour flavour: A Sichuan-style balance of sugar, vinegar, and salt, often mixed with garlic and ginger.
Notable dishes: Sweet and Sour Pork
26. Tangerine Peel Flavour: Dried tangerine peel（陳皮）adds a citrusy, sweet aroma to balance spiciness, providing depth in dishes like cold meats and contributing to the complex taste profile of Sichuan cooking.
Notable dishes: Tangerine Peel Beef
27. Tomato Flavour: A unique blend of tangy tomato, spicy chilli and savoury umami flavours. It typically includes fresh tomatoes, chilli peppers, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger, resulting in a delicious balance of sweetness and heat that makes it ideal for a variety of dishes.
Notable dishes: Tomato Matsutake Soup
Grand Majestic Sichuan – Where and how?
Address: Shop 301, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong
Telephone Number: +852 2151 1299
Email: reservations@grandmajesticsichuan.com
Website: www.grandmajesticsichuan.com