DOMI SICHUAN SNACKS/哆咪四川小吃

It is Christmas Day in Christchurch which also means there ain’t much restaurants or fast food opened. Ok to be fair, even Maccas & Burger King are not opened so we decided to let our walks bring us for a late afternoon lunch after arriving Christchurch. Tucked right at the corner after failed attempt to Macdonald was probably one of the best Chinese food we have eaten in AU & NZ, we went straight in for the bento bowls they have. The decor of this place is really quirky with artwork which we are guessing from the kids of the family that runs it and they decorate with it. Once you entered, it feel like you are in a quirky geo agnostic time bubble that has decor which does not match at all but somehow it works so beautifully on a trip like this. There were already a few groups in there which are all Chinese and judging by the dishes they ordered, portions are huge here. Our bento bowls were priced very well for the portion too, they serve water upon seating and the family that runs it has the kindest welcome to the customers. The mapo tofu on rice was sooo good, right level of Szechuan pepper taste and strong spices that gave the right amount of heat and numb, we polished that off easily while my order of double cooked pork slices with leeks and vege hit the right spot, every mouthful of this was pure delight as we went all quiet and just savor every bite of it. The only thing we talked about is if we should come back for the sweet and sour pork which seemed like every table ordered. Their menu has a lot of good stuff like dumplings and Szechuan menus too, if you are there, support this family run biz, you will not regret having your Asian fix here.

We went to this place for spicy food. I will say, it isn’t too spicy but the flavour is there. There is chilli oil if you need to put more spice in. We got the sliced beef in tongue numbing sauce and the pork dumplings in Sichuan style sauce. The dumplings were soft and flavourful, the pork’s natural oil coated my lips nicely. The sliced beef was the standard velveted beef, the kicker is the sauce. Make sure to have Jasmine rice on the side to soak up all the flavour. They were very generous with the serving, three people could be full with the sliced beef. The atmosphere was eccentric, kids would definitely have a blast looking at the paper statues of minecraft characters, a gigantic ice age character with his wallnut, and Chinese decorations. Despite its unusual decor, the temperature and the overall atmosphere makes you feel very at peace while eating and conversing with your loved ones. I cannot stop talking about how the table and chair are the perfect height in relation to each other, it just makes you feel extra comfortable in the space. I would highly recommend eating in, the service was very accommodating. They asked for my preference for forks or chopsticks, hot water, and if I needed more spice. Overall, this place does well in what it does. 5/5. Edit: We came back again, it was the best fried rice we have ever tasted. I thought it would be the usual fried rice from Chinese takeaways, but this one was different. It was not oily, the wok hei is to die for. They made it spicy just for us because we seem to have ordered only spicy food off the menu, which was nice. The wontons were so soft and tender. The intestine noodle soup was way more flavourful than our usual noodle spot in Riccarton. It definitely satisfied our spicy cravings. The front of house person is always accommodating, a stark contrast to some restaurants around the city. We went back for a third time, but didn't realise they are closed on Wednesdays.

Wholesome little surprise find! Cool little restaurant with quirky style. Lovely service. We got the tongue numbing beef, Dan Dan noodles and dumplings. All were delicious and well priced! Can’t wait to come back and try the pork and pancakes!

Best Sichuan Food ever in NZ and AU. We live in Sydney and were there in July. Constantly thought about this restaurant ever since. We ordered the spicy chicken 2 days in a roll. Last time we ordered, was in the morning when they just opened, coz we had to drive to the next city that day. Really authentic Sichuan food, if I’m going back to Christchurch, would definitely visit again!

Authentic Chinese food with lots of variety of flavors. Such a beautiful dining experience with family! Love the food, friendly and helpful owner with great service! Definitely come back again🥰

For NZD $55, I would expect better food. Ordered the cumin lamb and mix fried vegetables with steam rice for take away and was sorely disappointed. The cozy atmosphere had potential for a nice sit down dinner with at least capacity for 25 and the service was friendly. (Boss/chef and his wife). As usual, note that the ratings throughout Christchurch are always on the high side where 4.5 - 4.9 are often given due to the nature of the crowds here and low expectations.

I really liked when I first walked in, the atmosphere, from the walk hangings, the quirky seats and tables, from the antique sewing machines, so much personality and interesting things to look at. We went in just wanting a few dishes, so we ordered some dumplings and the deep-fried crispy pancake. The dumplings were delicious, the sauce was a perfect accompaniment, just spicy enough, added to the carrots and peanuts. The crispy pancake was a surprise as we assumed it would be savoury but it was sweet, with cinnamon and icing sugar and walnuts, not greasy, crispy and addictive. The staff were very nice and we were impressed overall with the whole set up. Hats off to them for creating something that is unique, along with delicious food.

Love the vibe and atmosphere of the place. Feels very homey and comforting! The food was amazing and so many great options. Personally love Sichuan cuisine, I’ve visited the Sichuan Region before and the food here is just as authentic. Great people too!