Kinseien

One diner who came for the malatang was struck by how much it contained: vegetables, beef tripe, thick fried tofu and sausages among the ingredients. They described the soup as miso-like, with fermented black beans, and said the numbing effect of Sichuan pepper was mild. That may help diners decide if they want a generously filled bowl without too much of that distinctive tingle. The same diner found the filling in the stick-shaped dumplings well seasoned and the dumplings substantial in size—a tempting companion dish to the malatang.

At lunchtime, set meals come with rice, soup, pickled mustard greens and almond tofu. Options include Sichuan mapo tofu and stir-fried pork liver with Chinese chives. One diner described the latter’s rich seasoning as a good match for rice. Another recalled the Sichuan mapo tofu set arriving bubbling in an iron pot, with the aroma of Sichuan pepper and a pleasing degree of numbing heat. For a filling lunch of rice and boldly flavoured dishes, the set meals offer plenty to choose from.