Facing Heaven

Once upon a time, there was Mao Chow, a colourful, vibrant hole-in-the-wall in Hackney that first started life as a series of pop-ups showcasing its all-vegan take on Sichuan specialties. And though the popular place closed down, fear not – the next step in its evolution opened just a short while later.

Now named Facing Heaven, the owner Julian Denis' new establishment is twice the size of his old one and conveniently located just around the corner. Keeping the lively vibe alive behind a nondescript shopfront on Mare Street, the neon-lit venue is dominated by a Lazy Susan table to ease sharing, surrounded by smaller tables, and the hipstery coolness of the place is dialled up a notch further in the dazzling disco toilets.

The menu underwent an evolution as well, with the LA-raised chef throwing Puerto Rican and American influences into the Chinese mix. Of course, it's all still fully vegan, from the snack jerky to the bombastic Hong Kong French toast, but be warned – Facing Heaven is not for the faint of heart when it comes to spiciness. Chili keeps popping up all over the menu – in fact, the restaurant is named not after the inclination to have a little lie-down after filling your belly, but after a type of spicy cone pepper that is popular in the Sichuan province. Don't say we didn't warn you.