Picture of Chuan Chuan Xiang, WC2H 7JS

Historical version 1 of Chuan Chuan Xiang, WC2H 7JS (view current version)

Tiny takeaway in Chinatown, next door to (and run by) Baozi Inn.

The menu is restricted to hotpot-style skewers photo of menu as of September 2012 and a couple of types of large filled steamed buns (baozi/包子) photo of menu as of September 2012. There's no eat-in space, and indeed very little space inside to wait for your food; though the cooking time is only a couple of minutes, so this isn't too great a hardship.

All skewers are cooked in the same numbing-spicy (ma la/麻辣) stock, so (aside from the baozi) there are no options for those who prefer milder food, and indeed no real options for vegetarians, unless you're OK with having your veg/tofu skewers cooked in the same stock as the meat options.

In September 2012, Kake tried a fishball skewer and a Chinese leaf skewer (£1 each) photo. The former held just one and a half fishballs, sliced in half to let the stock penetrate (and make the portion look less meagre), while the latter went into the pot as one huge leaf that was snipped up with scissors after cooking. An optional sprinkle of fresh coriander finished it off.

The stock was certainly both spicy and numbing; the Chinese leaf retained these flavours more vehemently than the fishball, to the point where I struggled to finish it (but in a good way, as lovers of chilli will recognise).

Accessibility: A step to get in, and very restricted space inside.

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Last visited by Kake, September 2012.
OS X co-ord: 529903 OS Y co-ord: 180894 (Latitude: 51.511537 Longitude: -0.127815)
This is version 1 (as of 2012-09-08 09:01:49). View current version.