Ba Shu: My go-to Sichuan Restaurant

Chinese food is an art, and it is difficult to find places that do it well. There’s only one place in Singapore which I will come for Sichuan food and it is here.

Ba Shu Sichuan was a pleasant surprise when I first came here with my family. They offer a wide range of dishes that almost always hit. They do everything super well and their standards are very stable. However, I would argue that the Bedok outlet is simply better. The outlet in Plaza Singapura doesn’t have some of their dishes which is a waste, so I always come to Bedok even with the extra distance.

Let’s start with their 蒜泥白肉. Tender pork belly in a salty, spicy and garlicky sauce. Many places simply don’t have enough depth in their sauce, with the pork belly being underwhelming as well as being tough and chewy. Here, the pork is shaved thinly, making it super tender while the sauce is well-conceived, having every element that is essential to a good 蒜泥白肉, from the garlic to the chili oil.

Next, 回锅肉. An unassuming plate of green chili and pork slices, there’s something special in the way it is prepared. The tender pork is slightly charred to give that stir fried flavour while the sauce is umami and savoury. I could eat an entire plate with just a bowl of rice.

Mapo tofu is often disappointing when there isn’t enough fermented bean paste used to make the dish or the meat that is fried in the sauce doesn’t produce enough fat to flavour the dish. Here, there is a strong flavour of 豆瓣酱 while the meat adds to the richness of the sauce. One of the best mapo tofus you will find

Vegetables just taste better in Chinese cuisine. Their 干锅包菜 keeps the fresh crisp of the cabbage while adding a slight char and a rich umami sauce with pork belly slices that make this dish so so good.

Lastly, their signature green pepper fish slices. 水煮鱼used to be my favourite fish dish until I tried their green pepper fish. The green peppers add an incredible fragrance to the rich soup while the fish slices are fresh and tender. The additions of bean curd skin and black fungus are perfect, with these additions absorbing the flavour of the soup and becoming a flavour bomb. This is undoubtedly my favourite dish and is a must-order.

It always feels good to be able to enjoy food in a group setting with a simple bowl of rice. It is so comforting and it feels like a home-cooked meal. If you want good Sichuan food in Singapore, Bashu does an amazing job and also offers incredible value for money, with the five dishes and two bowls of rice only costing around $90-$100. It is a regular on my food rotation, and I will always come back for more.

219 Bedok Central, #01 -122, Singapore 460219