China Sichuan - About Us

After 23 successful years in our Kilmacud restaurant, China-Sichuan has relocated. Our new premises is situated less than a mile away in Sandyford, conveniently located within 100 yards of the Stillorgan Luas stop. The new purpose built restaurant seats approximately 90 people in elegant and comfortable surroundings. Regular customers will be glad to hear that the food is just as good, if not better. We've refined the menu somewhat but are still committed to delivering authentic Sichuan cuisine to the very highest of standards. Coupled with our new wine and expanded drinks list, daily market fresh specials and exciting new Chinese desserts, we feel China-Sichuan will continue to provide something for everyone's tastes.

In the geographical heartland of China lies the huge natural bowl of Sichuan, The name Sichuan means "four rivers" and refers to four rivers, the Min, Jialing, Yalong, and To, out of the 80 plus mighty rivers that flow through the province. They also give the area much of the agricultural muscle that has helped shape its gastronomic heritage and which today feeds over hundred million people with one of the best balanced and most spectacular cuisine of China.

Three centuries before Christianity began, and sixteen centuries before Sichuan became a province of China, the flow of the mighty Min river was harnessed to water the thirsty land. A huge man made dam diverted the river away from its natural channel into the surrounding plains. The flow was halved again and again, until countless irrigation streams trickled through the fields covering the plains on which the present provincial capital of Chengdu now stands. From these fields peasants harvested rich crops. They still do, and their produce gives the province its proud and spicy culinary legacy, which in recent years has swept the dinner tables of the world.

Sichuan cuisine today is a happy medley of many traditions and influences. In general there are seven main flavours used in Sichuan cuisine. This is the first lesson given to a novice cook and it stays with him throughout his career sweet (tien) comes from honey or sugar; sour (suan) from vinegar; salty (tien) from salt or soy; fragrant (xiang) from garlic and ginger; bitter (ku) from spring onions; nutty (ma) from sesame oil; and most importantly for Sichuan, hot (la) from the red chilli. A chef needs only to understand these flavours and then they are free to use the different combinations to create many more unique flavours.

Our four chefs are all originally from Sichuan, having trained and worked for many years throughout the province. The chefs of Sichuan are rated by government agencies in seven ranks on the basis of a set of criteria, such as performance, experience and specialisation. In addition, a superior rank may be granted to the more outstanding ones who, among other qualifications, have generally more than 50 years of experience.

We would like to inform you that all the special spices, seasonings and raw materials that cannot be found in Ireland but are essential for authentic Sichuan dishes, are being supplied directly from Sichuan Province to this restaurant.