You might think Bar Shu – adorned with slatted blinds, latticed woodwork and tasselled lanterns – was a sweet-and-sour honeytrap for Soho tourists; but you'd be missing out on possibly the best Sichuan food in London. The ma-po tofu ('pockmarked grandmother's tofu', reputedly Chairman Mao's favourite) is the best we've ever had: all funky fermented beans, chilli oil, pork and fresh beancurd.
There's a wide disparity in dish pricing: while simple choices such as the ma-po or 'ants climbing trees' (a classic stir-fried cellophane-noodle dish) come in at around £10, you'll be in for a shock if you order sea cucumber, abalone or crab without checking the prices first.
