Sichuan food and fine dining are rare bedfellows, especially if the union is masterminded by a Japanese chef. Yet at Shisen Hanten, the combination fits perfectly. Ten years since its opening in 2014, chef Chen Kentaro’s first branch outside of Japan still delivers fragrant, spice-laden, appetising dishes that proudly bear the whole gamut of Sichuanese flavours. The signature mapo tofu is in a class of its own—silky, hearty and piquant in just the right places. Served alongside a bowl of perfectly cooked Hokkaido rice, it’s a meal unto itself. Fried whole fish stewed in shishito peppers and pickled vegetables is another stunner, showcasing the chef’s penchant for balancing acidity, spices and umami. In the desserts department, the signature Coconut Fantasy marries the delicate crunch of bird’s nest with aromatic, creamy almond pudding placed in a young coconut vessel.