From LA chef Julian Denis comes Facing Heaven, a successor to Hackney-based vegan Chinese Mao Chow. Tucked on a corner around the back of Mare Street, it’s an unassuming, nameless shopfront. Once inside, though, low key it is not. With black-and-white chequerboard flooring and low neon lights reflecting off every surface, this small room serves up a cocktail of Hackney hipster coolness and comfort. Definitely check out the disco tiling in the loo.
On the hipster note, like its earlier incarnation this eatery is all vegan. But that doesn’t mean a buckwheat salad or kale chips and houmous. If you like the mouth-numbing sensation of Sichuanese cuisine – whether vegan or not – head here for a new take on Sichuan food.
Named after the Sichuanese ‘facing heaven’ pepper, once you taste a bite of the plates here, it’s easy to understand why. Chilli is everywhere. Fusing influences from Cantonese, Yunnan and Shaanxi cuisines and playing with typical vegan ingredients like tofu and mushrooms, it’s the type of menu that will make you want to over-order and feast.
To start, we went for Hot & Sour Savoy Cabbage (£8) with aged vinegar, ginger and chilli. Though on the salty side, the plate provided the necessary dose of greens for our meal whilst delivery on Facing Heaven’s maximal approach.
Next up, Char Siu Chops & Rice (£12). Glazed chops reminiscent of a seitan fry, these meaty bites –mimicking pork – are served with a sticky rice and a ginger-scallion sauce. Packed full of flavour and texture, it’s very satisfying – likely even for a devout meat eater.
The start of the show, though, was probably the Green Chilli and Cumin Pan Fried Dumplings (£9). Swimming in a fermented hot sauce and deep pool of chilli oil vinaigerette, each dumpling had both punch and poise. Utter brilliance.
Mapo Tofu (12) was probably the most underwhelming dish, or rather bowl. Silken tofu with Sichuan pepper, they lack the heat and punch of the other dishes, which had set the bar high.
Overall, Facing Heaven’s food is creative, loud and doesn’t hold back. As well as being masters of aesthetic and atmosphere, Denis’ team are capable of injecting vegan food with creativity, playfulness and intensity. The whole experience was like being hit over the head in a weirdly good way. The intensity and extremity of the Sichuan pepper and chilli and the unexpected disco vibe all around was a sensory overload. An overload that’s worth embracing having trekked to Hackney. On a Friday evening.
Facing Heaven, 1a Bayford St, London E8 3SE
Website: https://www.facing-heaven.com/
Rating: ****
Yumtini 