Twelve Flavors in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, ended up being one of my favorite Sichuan spots—and the cucumber salad was unforgettable.
While wandering around Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong,
I did a quick search and randomly walked into this Sichuan restaurant,
Twelve Flavors.
It’s just a short walk from Tsim Sha Tsui Station,
and the Google rating was a pretty solid 4.0.
Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.,
with no regular closing day.
Why Twelve Flavors Tsim Sha Tsui Is Worth Visiting
This is what the entrance looks like,
and since the dining room is upstairs, you’ll need to take the stairs.
They had the menu posted on the first floor,
so I skimmed it, thought everything looked good, and went in.
It looked like a popular spot because there was even a waiting area set up,
and the entrance had a nice vibe too.
Time to head in!
The interior definitely matched the Sichuan concept—
lots of red and black everywhere.
I went at that awkward time after the lunch rush,
but it was still pretty busy, and most people there
were locals speaking Chinese.
There really weren’t many tourists at all.
I’m not sure how well it shows in the photo,
but there’s also a separate bar area inside,
so they serve a good range of drinks too.
There was one window seat left, so I grabbed it.
Once you sit down, you order by scanning a QR code.
Here’s the menu at Twelve Flavors in Tsim Sha Tsui.
It’s available in English too, so it’s not hard to read,
but there are so many options that choosing is the hard part.
And no, we didn’t make those check marks—they were already there.
This was a totally spontaneous stop,
so I hadn’t done any research beforehand
and had no idea what the signature dishes were.
I just ordered whatever sounded good.
Best Dish at Twelve Flavors Tsim Sha Tsui: The Cucumber Salad
I usually like to start a meal with something fresh, kind of like a salad,
so I ordered the cucumber salad first here too—
and honestly, I found my all-time favorite cucumber salad.
It was the best cucumber salad I’ve ever had in my life.
No matter how many versions I order at Chinese restaurants in Korea,
nothing even comes close to this one from Twelve Flavors.
The sad part is that if I want to eat it again,
I basically have to fly back to Hong Kong.
Seriously, you have to order this.
I think this one was just a complimentary side dish.
Other than the cucumber dish,
I honestly can’t remember the exact names of everything we ordered,
but I do remember that pretty much all of it was good.
The flavors and aromas were actually pretty similar
to the Sichuan food I’ve had in Korea,
so everything felt familiar and easy to enjoy.
For reference, we didn’t order it,
but I’ve heard the mala xiang guo here is really good.
I’m not a huge mala xiang guo person,
but if you love mala dishes, it sounds like one to try.
Anyway, the portions were generous too, so we left full and happy.
If you’re looking for a great restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui,
and you like Sichuan food or mala dishes,
this place is absolutely worth a visit.
And yes—the cucumber salad is a must-order.