I am always on the lookout for a good Chinese restaurant. After three times in China, always in a different corner, I can appreciate ‘Chinese cuisine‘ a bit more. The food is as varied as the country, there is a lot more to Chinese food than sweet and sour pork and fried rice. Chilli & Pfeffer claims to serve authentic Chinese food and some other Asian dishes. Let’s see how the restaurant fared.
dining area @Chilli & Pfeffer
I began my meal with caramelized eggplants. Not really sure if this is Chinese, but it’s definitely good. The bite sized eggplants are slight fried and topped with a sweet and spicy sauce. Absolutely delicious and a favorite around the table.
caramelized eggplants @Chilli & Pfeffer
Another starter was vegan Jiaozi, which got mixed reviews. From bland to lovely roasting flavor. I could only taste the sauce on top, which was similar to the store bought Sriracha sauce.
vegan Jiaozi @Chilli & Pfeffer
The fried spring rolls fared better. Seemed to be crispy on the outside, with a good filling on the inside. What more can you want from a spring roll? The sauce though appears to be the same as for the Jiaozi.
spring rolls @Chilli & Pfeffer
My main dish was Mapo Tofu, which I only recently had at Shanghai restaurant. I had loved it there, especially the full flavor of Sichuan pepper. At Chilli & Pepper the dish was different, less Sichuan flavor and more liquidy. Not bad, but also not special.
Mapo Tofu @Chilli & Pfeffer
The giant prawn tempura arrived with its own portable hearth. They looked certainly delicious. My friend was not so happy though that they weren’t peeled. Can’t really say I see the sense in a prawn tempura with the shell on, but here we go. In Vietnam I ate shrimps with everything, but this is not typical here. Also, the shell of small crustaceans might be crunchy, but of a giant prawn?
giant prawn tempura @Chilli & Pfeffer
Much applause received the Yu Xiang Eggplant dish. Interesting that such a humble vegetable can excite so much. Stir-Fried eggplants with a hint of spice and a bowl of rice. Vegan food can be absolutely delicious from time to time.
Yu Xiang eggplants @Chilli & Pfeffer
Chilli & Pfeffer is an unpretentious Chinese restaurant with a rather interesting menu. There is even something for everyone on the menu. The food ranges from bland to exciting, so come prepared for every eventuality. Overall though, it’s quite good. Yours, Pollybert
Chilli & Pfeffer
1070 Wien, Schottenfeldgasse 86
Tel: +43 1 9444090
Email: office@chilipfeffer.at
Tue-Fri: 11:30-14:30, 17:00-22:00, Sat-Sun: 12:00-22:00
http://www.chilipfeffer.at/
