Sichuan Rouge, a vibrant new culinary gem, is set to open in early July 2025 at Soundwill Plaza II, Midtown, Causeway Bay. Helmed by renowned Sichuan chef Hu Taiqing and homegrown veteran Kenny Chan, the restaurant aims to showcase the true essence of affordable, fine Sichuan cuisine. With authentic ingredients sourced from Sichuan province and Chongqing, the team will challenge the notion that Sichuan food is solely about numbing spiciness, or mala, presenting instead a rich and complex array of flavours.
Spanning more than 1,000 sq. ft, Sichuan Rouge’s interior design is inspired by the glamorous nightlife hotspot of Shek Tong Tsui in 1930s’ Hong Kong. Taking its lead from antique Chinese hard-wood cabinets and traditional Sichuan architecture, the space is dressed with dark wood-grained tables and chairs, a wooden archway and beams bedecked with Chinese lanterns, ornate carved window frames and old-fashioned neon signs – transporting diners back to an era of rich sentimentality. The main colour palette of deep, decadent reds extends from wall panels hand-painted with floral motifs to crimson velvet upholstered seating. Soft orange-red wall lighting reflects the vivid, lively essence of Sichuan cuisine.
The main dining room seats a total of 76 people, with diners also invited outside to the terrace of its sister restaurant, modern Hong Kong hot-pot destination A Smoking Affair, to experience a unique Sichuan-style happy hour with beautiful views of Victoria Harbour.
Lauded as a Culinary Master of China, Chef Hu Taiqing is an iconic figure in Sichuan gastronomy, known for his contemporary flair and crowd-pleasing hotpot brands. In a glittering career spanning more than 30 years, he has won numerous honours, including the ‘Gold Award’ in the 7th China Hotel Industry Professional Skill Competition – Sichuan District, and the ‘King of Chef’ award in the very first edition of a competition for famed chefs and restaurants in China. Chef Hu regularly serves as a guest lecturer and competition judge and appears on television food shows in mainland China, further consolidating his elevated status in the industry.
Known locally as the walking dictionary of contemporary Sichuan cuisine, Chef Kenny Chan hails from a family of culinary artists who once operated a Sichuan bean-paste factory in Hong Kong. In his nearly 60 years as a chef, he has led the kitchens of many former top-rated Sichuan restaurants, including the Michelin-recommended Yunyan, Lumiere Sichuan Bistro + Bar, Sze Chuen Lau in Wanchai, and the World Trade Center Club. Among the culinary highlights of his distinguished career has been cooking for global political and business celebrities and hosting banquets for visiting British royal family members such as the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Revered for its “hundred dishes and hundreds of flavours”, the complexity of Sichuan cuisine stems from the clever and careful use of local spices – an art of seasoning perfected over more than 3,000 years. There are 24 classic Sichuan flavour profiles, each imbued with the wisdom of the region’s Ba-Shu food culture, and achieved through precise matching of key ingredients. At the heart of the cuisine are the three peppers – the palate-numbing Sichuan pepper, hot and spicy chilli pepper, and pepper – and the golden trio of spring onion, ginger and garlic.
Sichuan Rouge is committed to revealing the region’s authentic but less well-known flavour essences, while layering the menu with the creativity of its master chefs and an integration of Chinese and Western cultures. A bouquet of more than 40 spices and herbs imported from Sichuan and Chongqing infuses a feast of appetisers, soups, classic hot dishes, authentic rice and noodle preparations, and desserts, all showcasing the wonderful diversity of Sichuan flavours.
Among must-try appetisers are Razor Clam with Sichuan Peppercorn, combining the plumpest razor clams with a refined sauce delivering spicy and numbing flavours; and the popular Chengdu street food of Sliced Beef and Ox Tripe in Chilli Sauce, whose secret recipe of red chilli oil with a splash of Baoning black vinegar has the perfect ratio of spiciness and sourness. Other highlights include the melt-in-the-mouth Deep-Fried Sliced Beef with Sichuan Peppercorn and Rock Salt; Chilled South African Abalone with Hangzhou Chilli; Young Pigeon with Pepper, and more.
The menu is grounded in an array of home-style main dishes including the invitingly spicy Smoked Eel Wrapped with Fried Pork Intestine, which embodies the craftsmanship of the chefs. Smoked boneless local white eels are stuffed with chitlins marinated in fermented chilli bean paste, then diced and garnished with fried chillies. Featuring abalone and prawns, Duck Blood in Chilli Sauce is a luxurious take on a street-food tradition, while Mapo Tofu with Lobster pairs a lobster weighing approximately one catty with tender, silky tofu doused in hot red oil, resulting in spicy, fresh aromas and a delightful lingering aftertaste.
Rich in flavour and texture, Sautéed Prawn with Chilli Sauce is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Savoury and mellow on the palate,Twice-Cooked Pork with Black Bean and Soybean Paste is packed with Sichuan farm flavours. Sichuan Style Boiled Hand Cut Beef is similarly authentic, the meat imparting soft, spicy freshness as it ignites the taste buds.
“Since ancient times, the Sichuan Basin has been called the ‘Land of Abundance’, thanks to its vast fertile land. Chilli peppers were not introduced to China until the late Ming Dynasty, so traditional Sichuan cooking featured milder and more nuanced flavours compared to the bright red, spicy profile widely known today,” says Chef Kenny Chan. “Chef Hu and I are excited to bring diners the original, diverse flavours of this glorious cuisine – a regional treasure that is in urgent need of rediscovery.”
“Chef Chan and I have carefully curated a menu of many classic Sichuan dishes beloved for their variety of flavours. We hope gourmets from all around the world will come to Sichuan Rouge to appreciate the true essence of Sichuan cuisine and understand that its richness is not limited to numbing spices,” says Chef Hu Taiqing.
Located on the 27th floor of Soundwill Plaza II, Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, Sichuan Rouge will celebrate its soft opening in early July 2025. Initially, à la carte dishes will be served during the operating hours of 12 noon to 11 pm daily, with the launch of a dedicated lunch menu to follow in early August 2025.
