We thought about heading to the Spicy House in Christchurch after midnight, what with the place being open until at least three in the morning on most days. But we figured there’s a chance a bunch of people might be there after whatever parties they attend late at night. But we found in our visit to the Spicy House that the place is great for dining regardless of the time of day.
Whether you’re looking for a Szechuan entrée for dinner or you want something after a big party, you’ll find many things to love about the Spicy House. The place offers some appealing entrees that you might not find in some restaurants in Christchurch, plus it provides great portions. But be prepared to feel the heat while at the Spicy House, as the restaurant does well in producing plenty of spices. With a name like the Spicy House, you wouldn’t expect less from a place like it.
Features
- Offers multiple types of rice
- Vegetarian-friendly options available, including tofu dishes
- The service is efficient and quick
- All meats are fresh and cooked to perfection
- Most dishes are available for $16 or less
A Simple Spot
The first thing we noticed about the Spicy House in Christchurch is that the place isn’t elaborate. You simply go to the counter, place your order, pay for what you want, and then they will deliver it to you. You can order the food for dine-in or takeaway.
The place isn’t overly decorative or detailed. But considering how so many people who come here do so late at night, it’s best that the place isn’t garish.
A Complete Menu
We like how the Szechuan menu here at the Spicy House is thorough and offers many great choices. We found plenty of great options on the menu:
- The pork dishes are the most popular ones here. You can order anything from a deep-fried spare rib to sweet and sour pork to pork kidney.
- The place serves dumplings in many forms, including chicken and pan-fried dumplings.
- The fried rice entrees include everything from egg to chicken to beef.
- You can enjoy many vegetable entrees here, including stir-fried bean sprout and the chili mushroom.
- There’s even a listing of cold dishes at the Spicy House. These include cucumber salad and spicy pork ear.
How Is the Food?
We found the foods at the Spicy House were delicious and easy to enjoy. The rice is cooked well, and the meats are well grilled and cooked. We didn’t find any undercooked spots in our meals. Our foods weren’t covered with lots of breading or coating either.
The meals are good enough for one person, although they provide some great portions that you can take home if you wish. The vegetables and rice served on the side complement the main entrée without going through more than necessary.
We liked how the dumplings were cooked and how they tasted. The dumplings had a good texture, plus they were easy to eat with chopsticks. The place serves at least fifteen dumplings in a single serving. That should be good enough for most people who want something delicious for dinner.
How Spicy Is the Place?
The Spicy House doesn’t disappoint, as the place does offer many spicy dishes. You’ll find the place brings the heat in many forms, whether it’s from cumin, black pepper, fresh chili, or chili and bean sauce. The spices are very hot and intense, providing plenty of extra flavour.
A Great Deal
The foods at the Spicy House are very affordable. Many of the dishes are available for less than $15.
The seafood entrees were the most expensive ones, but those were mainly for either some exotic meats or for whole fish entrees. A whole fish with hot and spicy sauce goes for $30, for instance. You can get a single-serving fish entrée for about half that total. It’s smart that the place does well in keeping the prices down, as they want their foods to be open to everyone throughout the day.
The Spicy House is a good place to visit if you’re looking for hot and spicy Szechuan dishes in Christchurch. You’ll enjoy what this restaurant offers regardless of whether it’s for dinner or a late-night meal.
