Burn after eating

Chilli Fagara in central Hong Kong will douse you with spice and leave you lusting for more


Those of you who pride yourselves on a dragon-mouthed tolerance for all things red, hot and spicy can get ready to meet your ultimate match. Chilli Fagara—a Michelin star restaurant in central Hong Kong, is a lesson in tolerance. Featuring a menu from China’s Sichuan region which is famed for its fiery peppercorns, the entry to the restaurant ought to come with a caveat: fire ahead. Enter at your own risk.
Translated in English, ‘Fagara’ means ‘mouth numbing,’ and about two bites into your meal, you understand why. Everything you order is doused in a different form of lip-tingling chilli-chicken dumplings inundated in chilli oil, prawns in chilli powder, spiced asparagus—even a seasoned spic-e-tarian can be reduced to tears. The restaurant is something of an institution in Hong Kong. For locals who have grown inured to this assault on the senses, a meal here is a bit of a weeknight tradition. As for tourists, it’s the culinary equivalent of shark-cage diving.


For me, the experience was a bit like trying to run a marathon. You start out confident, and when it’s too late to turn back you realise you’ve bitten off more than you can chew (almost literally). By the end of my meal, the spice had traveled from my tongue to my brain, leaving me dizzy and breathless from the fireworks in my mouth. And unfortunately, there’s no shortcut to relief, you’ve just got to power through. Your best bet is to do what I did—walk across the street to Sift Dessert Bar and appease your abused taste-buds with something cold and sweet.
You’ll wind up beaten to pulp, but it’s an experience you’ll never forget. And, if you’re anything like me, a false sense of bravado will return with time. And before you know it, you’ll be ready for round two.