Chilli Cool is a casual Sichuan restaurant at 15 Leigh Street in Bloomsbury, a short walk from King’s Cross and Russell Square. The simple dining room keeps attention on traditional cooking, assertive seasoning and the aromatic heat created by dried chillies, Sichuan pepper and house made chilli oil.
Cold starters, dumplings and noodles provide several routes into the menu. Cucumber, sliced meat and other chilled dishes can cool the palate, while dan dan noodles, hot and sour soup and wontons build layers of sesame, vinegar, chilli and savoury stock.
Boiled beef or fish arrives in a fragrant red broth with vegetables, chilli and peppercorn, while Chongqing chicken delivers a drier combination of crisp meat and spice. Mapo tofu, shredded pork, casseroles and hot pot broaden the selection for diners who want to compare different Sichuan cooking methods.
Rice, greens and milder vegetable dishes help balance a shared meal, and the illustrated menu makes a wide range of unfamiliar specialities easier to navigate. Takeaway and delivery complement the dining room, but eating together at the table remains the best way to explore several dishes and control the pace of the heat.
Address: 15 Leigh Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 9EW, United Kingdom