Private Kitchens

Rent in Hong Kong, both residential and commercial, is outrageous. Due to usurious landlords and possibly in an attempt to avoid health code and other restrictions, many of Hong Kong's aspiring restauratueres have started "private kitchens." The private kitchen is effectually a restaurant in a residential building. Often, private kitchens serve a multicourse set meal. There is no menu. Private Kitchens are all the rage in Hong Kong with many foodies claiming that there is no better place to get a bite. After hearing repeated references to said kitchen's I decided that I had to experience it for myself. Last week Brandon Kinney, a friend from college was in town and I took him to Da Ping Huo, Si Chuan kitchen.
Da Ping Huo has a set 11 course menu with two seatings, at 7:30 and 9:00. After a difficult time finding the place (no sign and located in a residential building), we stepped into a psuedo art gallery of a restaurant. Unfortunately, we were late. We planned on going to the 9:00 seating, but as we were the only ones who had reserved for 9:00 that night, they asked if we could come earlier. When we arrived, the other tables (5-7 in all) already displayed spicy delicacies. We were met at the door by the proprieter, host and husband of the chef who sat us. The dishes were then brought out in successive order, each with a short explanation, and a big cheesy grin. "this mixed vegetables in sweet and sour; not spicy" "This beans and vegetables and beans; little spicy" and my personal favorite "This Ma Po Tou Fu; very very spicy, maybe I get you rice."
The SiChuan gastronomic journey was on as we downed course after course of deliciousness. Eating there took me back to the first authentic SiChuan noodles I ever had in Brother Ding's house in Plano, TX. Sichuan spicy is very different than hot or spicy food you eat in most places in the world and even different than other places in China (though it has spread across the country). The SiChuan "Ma La" is a combination of "Ma" or numbness, and "La" Spicy/Hot. The numbness is caused by the HuaJiao, which literally translates as Chinese pepper but I don't think it has an English translation. It looks something like black pepper (before being crushed). Wikipedia calls it SiChuan Pepper. Who am I to argue with Wiki? The spicy comes from your garden variety red peppers.
The food was great and the atmosphere refreshing. At the end of the meal, our host and server brough out his wife, the chef. She does not speak English, but she warminly greeted everyone in Mandarin, then sang a Chinese folk song. At the end of the night, I was left with the feeling that I just got done eating at a relative's house. I wouldn't have it any other way.






































































This guy is the man. Sweet specs.