London Food & Drink | 11, 12, 25 and 26 October 2026
Think you can handle the heat? Chongqing noodle specialist Liu Xiaomian is giving Londoners the chance to win a year’s supply of noodles with its hottest-ever Spicy & Numbing Noodle Challenge. Here are five things to know.
1. Four rounds of rising heat
Six people per session take on four increasingly fiery rounds of Chongqing noodles. It’s about heat, not quantity: portions are small but get progressively spicier, reaching at least three times the restaurant’s regular heat level.
2. No water allowed
The noodles combine red Sichuan peppercorn with several chillies, including the tiny but ferocious “Starry Sky” chilli. No water, drinks or other food are allowed, and anyone who reaches for water is out. The last person standing wins.
3. Win a free bowl every month for a year
Each session’s winner gets one complimentary bowl of noodles a month for 12 months. Entry costs £12, which can be redeemed against selected merchandise. You must be 18 or over.
4. A cyberpunk makeover
The Carnaby restaurant has just been revamped, inspired by Chongqing’s neon-lit cyberpunk cityscape of elevated roads and monorails, with bold red tiles, metallic finishes and new bar seating.
5. A new dish to try
If you’d rather eat than compete, the refreshed menu now includes Chao Shou Mian, handmade Chongqing-style pork wontons and noodles in one bowl, a combination regulars had been ordering for ages.
Book and info
Liu Xiaomian Spicy & Numbing Challenge
Liu Xiaomian, First Floor, Kingly Court, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW
Sunday 11, Monday 12, Sunday 25 and Monday 26 October 2026, 5.30pm
Entry £12 | 6 places per session | 18+
Nearest station: Oxford Circus