When you enter the Grand Majestic Sichuan, you could be forgiven for thinking you had come to the wrong place. Nothing at all in the decor says “Sichuan” in the ways that we are used to in Hong Kong. In fact, the place looks more like a decadent nightclub from the 1960s, with red velvet upholstery and lush carpets – and even free champagne on ice outside the loos.

But don’t let the decor fool you. Chef Robert Wong, formerly chef de cuisine at Chilli Fagara, brings his fiery brand of authentic Sichuan tastes to this new addition at Alexandra House. We eased our way into the spices with a mild garlic jade heirloom cucumber (HK$98), poached yellow chicken in sesame sauce (HK$148) and a silky skinned pork wonton (HK$208).

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The peppery and pungent mapo tofu (HK$228) was a precursor of what was to come, as the flavours and spices gradually increased, first with the Chongqing laziji (HK$308) – described as “firecracker” local chicken with “heaven-facing” chillies – followed by the shui zhu yu (HK$368), a red snapper in sizzling chilli broth.