For the local Seattle crowd –
If you’re looking for damn good Szechuan meal, head to Szechuan Bean Flower – a little hole in the wall place across Aurora from the Oak Tree plaza. It’s in my list of top szechuan places in ALL of Seattle and surrounding areas. Right along with that joint in Greenwood, the one at 14th and Yessler, and the one in that open street mall in Bellevue.
Its location has crappy parking (ON Aurora, as you head south – right in front of the restaraunt) – but don’t let that even slow you down. Aside from having just incredible food… the staff is friendly, the food is not expensive, and you can try things there you’d never find in your standard “americanized” chinese restaurant.
Karen and I went there tonight, because I was craving what I’ll call “mandarin spicy fish”. It’s not on their menu, but it had been – and they whipped it up for me. Karen got szechaun fish to “contrast and compare”. The szechuan fish is a dry, spicy fried fish; the “mandarin” one is a little sweeter, a little less spicy, and has a dark reddish sauce on it. We also ordered a fried tofu and mixed veggies thing that we couldn’t even finish – but it means yummy leftovers are in the fridge. Heh – that was the idea.
The Seattle Times has a review on it from a year ago – still right on the money.
Oh – and they even translated some of the menu that was written in chinese on the whiteboard against the back wall. I don’t remember all the dishes, but it was clear some of them probably weren’t to the standard american food palate, but they sounded interesting. I’m tempted to just blind order off that board and see what comes out – but for the meantime, I think I’ve got plenty to explore that’s still listed in english on the regular menu.
Mmm. Damn good. Go there.
Rhonabwy 