Tanyoto creator Tan Changan has a crush on spice. Before he launched this chain of Sichuan restaurants, he manufactured chili bean sauce with 18 spices in China. And he continues to use a complex assortment of spices in the dishes at Tanyoto, although you get to dictate just how hot your food should be: mild, slightly hot or strong. Although spicy food can have the effect of numbing your tastebuds, Tanyoto uses special Chinese herbs to bring out the flavor of each dish. The highlight here is Sichuan hotpot. We tried the double soup base: hot soup filled with whole peppers, small red chilis, and dried chili and garlic, best served with noodles and beef. Instead of soy sauce, the hotpot comes with a bowl of herbs and spices - spring onions, coriander, chili pickles, chopped dried and fresh chili, sesame and peanuts – which we spooned into the soup base for a delicious concoction. We also tried the more traditional mains, including fried chicken with chili and boiled fish in chili sauce, which were amply portioned and competent, but nothing to write home about. The Tsim Sha Tsui branch is big and comfortable, with sofas at every table. One word of warning, though: the décor features about 10 plasma TVs, all tuned in to TVB Jade. DC, MC, V.