London Restaurant Reviews – Tian Fu (Szechuanese in Shepherd’s Bush)

I find there is no better way for me to discover the London restaurants I write about here than through word-of-mouth recommendation. So when Jen of Dashi Dashi called me and Dr G up to invite us to join her, Su-Lin of Tamarind & Thyme, and May of Slow Food Kitchen at her local Sichuanese restaurant in Shepherd’s Bush, I knew I was in for a treat.

The restaurant is in a good location at a busy corner on Wood Lane, close to the BBC building and Westfield Shopping Centre. Tian Fu does not look very attractive from the outside and unless you walk in, it is difficult to realise how large and airy the restaurant is. Parking, even on a Saturday afternoon, is tough and also quite pricey in the immediate area, but Dr G managed to find us some free parking spaces a couple of blocks away from the restaurant.

Service was efficient but sullen. We were not rushed, but still, I would not describe Tian Fu as a place to hang about or have a relaxed meal. Portions were surprisingly generous and well priced. We ordered a selection of 6 dishes including two of my favourites - “Dry-fried Green Beans” and “Fish Fragrant Aubergines” @ £6.80, both a must in any Szechuanese meal as far as I am concerned!

Tian Fu’s Dry-Fried Green Beans were beautifully cooked – flash-fried with minced pork and vegetables, the bean skins were slightly blistered with the intense wok heat, but still kept their bite, tasting delicious.

The Fish Fragrant Aubergines were also delectable – silky and yielding in a fantastically rich sauce. I love making this at home, and was surprised to find no trace of fish the first time I made it! I discovered that the name refers to the Szechuanese method of preparation usually associated with fish, resulting in hot (chilli bean paste), sour (Chinese black vinegar), salty (soy sauce) and sweet (sugar) flavours in equal measures.

We also ordered the “Dry-Braised Beef Tendon @ £8.50 - I never thought I would enjoy tendon as much as I did but Tian Fu has definitely converted me. The tendon had an intriguing but firm texture and was fried in a slightly sweet and chilli sauce with celery, pak choi and spring onions, a really lovely dish.

The “Cumin Lamb” @ £8.50 was another winner. Thin and tender slices of lamb fried in heaps of cumin and onion, this dish was incredibly flavoursome and beautifully accompanied by the Fish Fragrant Aubergines and white rice.

The “Grilled Sea Bass in Chef Special Chilli Sauce” @ £12 was again delicious – a whole fish battered and deep-fried and served in a rich black bean sauce with chillies, spring onions, minced pork and peanuts.

The weakest dish in my opinion was the one I chose – “Water Boiled Pork” @ £8. I love this dish at Chilli Cool (reviewed here) where it is called “Sliced Beef Sichuan Style Lavishly Topped with Chillies and Sichuan Pepper”. Unlike Chilli Cool’s, Tian Fu’s version lacked the richness and consistency of the sauce, was a little watery and had little if any Sichuan pepper. It tasted good, but not as delicious as I know it can be.

I really enjoyed Tian Fu, and was pleased to find another excellent Sichuanese restaurant in London. I would definitely return to Tian Fu if I happen to be in Shepherd's Bush. Thanks Jen for organising lunch and introducing us to Tian Fu!

Cost: £72.20 for 5 people (£14.45 per person) including tea and service - this is excellent value.

Likes: good cooking, generous portions, excellent value for money.

Dislikes: grumpy service.

Verdict: Tian Fu is a West London restaurant serving good Szechuanese food at excellent value. Portions are generous, but service is a let-down. I will definitely return. Recommended. 

London Restaurant Reviews - Wahaca

Wahaca

I was one of the 30 lucky Qypers, mostly food bloggers, who were invited to taste Wahaca’s new autumn menu at their Westfield branch.

Having experienced some disastrous meals at other Mexican restaurants in London, I had steered clear of this cuisine until now. I had never visited Wahaca before and was looking forward to the evening ahead.

I was truly impressed by the food I tasted, and feel now a growing curiosity to learn more about this type of cooking. Most impressive however, was meeting and dining with the founders Tommi (Thomasina Miers, winner of 2005 Masterchef), Mark Selby and his wife, the gorgeous Cecilia, who runs Wahaca’s blog. Their enthusiasm, passion and knowledge of Mexican cuisine were contagious, and made our evening memorable.

We had a useful introduction by Tommi and Mark of the dishes that we would be tasting, and the three types of tequilas to accompany them. We started the evening with a lovely dish of “Smoked Herring Tostada” (£3.75) - shredded smoked herring in a Veracruzan sauce (made mainly of olive oil, capers, tomatoes, chillies and various herbs) on tortillas. I enjoyed this and felt that the fish and slightly tart sauce married well.

To follow, we had what I think was one of the best dishes of the evening – “Black Bean and Chicken Soup” (£6.75). Served with shredded chicken, diced avocado, feta cheese, cream, ancho chillies and totopo (a type of corn tortilla), these were topped by a creamy and rich soup of black beans. The contrasting combination of flavours and textures was a revelation despite the odd appearence, with the ancho chillies giving a spicy but sweet, almost chocolatey quality to the dish.

 

The “Huitlacoche Quesadillas” (£3.75) with corn, mushroom and cheese, were also good. Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on the ears of corn, it has a very pungent earthy flavour reminiscent of mushroom and corn. I could easily have a few of those with some cold beer.

Their “Winter Fuerza Salad” (£6.90) was next, a combination of roasted butternut squash, spelt, diced orange, ancho chillies, feta, avocado, and other ingredients. This was a hearty salad, combining two of my favourite salad ingredients – butternut squash & feta. I will certainly try this again.

To accompany the salad, we also had “Pork Pibil” (£3.75), a traditional Mexican slow roasted pork dish from Yucatan Peninsula, marinated in a lime based sauce and slow roasted in banana leaves. This was one of the highlights of the evening, the meat was succulent, sweet and tender.

Wahaca’s “Vegetable Pipian” (£7.75) was our next course. Pipian is a traditional “mole” type sauce used to accompany poultry. It is popular in the North East region of Mexico, consisting mostly of ground nuts, garlic, onions, chillies, and chocolate. Wahaca’s  vegetarian take was intriguing and bursting with flavours of fresh herbs and ground green pumpkin seeds. The addition of rice and mushrooms was a good alternative to the usual chicken. I loved the richness of this sauce soaked up by the fluffy rice and meaty mushrooms. This was a truly warming winter dish I look forward to trying again.

This was followed by “Baja-California Fish Tacos” (£7.75), crispy fried fish goujons with chipotle mayonnaise in a delicious tomato salsa served on large tacos. This was an easy going dish that anyone would struggle to fault but not particularly memorable in comparison to some of the other dishes.

The enchilada with “mole” (£8.75) was creamy and rich, and partnered well with the tender pieces of shredded chicken, rice and other ingredients. This was a meaty alternative to the earlier Vegetable Pipian; a sophisticated sauce with hints of chocolate, chillies, onions, and garlic.

Next on the list was the “Fish a la Veracruzana” (£9.95), a parcel of Pollock fillet slow cooked in a Veracruzan sauce  (made mainly of olive oil, capers, tomatoes, chillies and various herbs) and served with coriander rice. The accompanying fresh salsa was a nice addition to the green rice and fish.

The last of our main courses was the “Vegetable Burrito” (£6), made of toasted flour tortillas filled with coriander rice, and served with corn chips and tomato salsa.

For dessert we had a platter of hot, crispy “Churros y Chocolate” (£3.40). I remember having similar ones in Madrid, although there the hot chocolate was much denser. I found Wahaca’s particularly good and preferred the less glutinous texture of the rich hot chocolate. This was the perfect ending to a wonderful Mexican meal.

We also tasted three of their finest tequilas – a Blanco, a Reposado and an Añejo (aged version). They had distinct characteristics and were smooth and partnered well with the evening’s dishes.

It was a great event for which I would like to thank the organiser Chris from Qype, and Tommi, Mark & Cecilia for their kindness and hospitality. It was also a great pleasure to meet people whose blogs I had been inspired by: Su-Lin of Tamarind & Thyme and Mel and Kelsie from Travels with my Fork.

Verdict – Inspiring Mexican Street Food to share at reasonable prices. The management have a genuine understanding and passion for Mexican food which is reflected in the delicious dishes on offer. Highly recommended.