544963 Sat Aug 02 14:48:40 -0700 2008 10 12 Boston Area 0 3924978 I posted this in the New England board but people suggested it may be of greater interest over here. Sichuan Palace just opened up in the Summer St. Plaza in the site of the old Tai Chang Garden. The menus are online and the authentic dishes appear to be more limited than Sichuan Gourmet or Sichuan Garden. I did notice, however, that there are almost twice as many dishes on the Chinese menu than the English menu. I'm having some of my Chinese friends at work translate for me. I'll post that info when I get it but I plan to get over there ASAP. http://www.sichuanpalace.net/ EDIT: a very rough translation indicates that there may be some unusual and very authentic dishes on the Chinese menu. We're heading over on Thursday with some "experts" in our midst. Sat Aug 02 14:48:45 -0700 2008 23030 Dinsdale45 1 3926377 Looks exciting... I'm looking forward to your report. I see water-cooked fish and water-cooked beef on there but I didn't spend much effort using my poor Chinese reading skills to figure out the rest. Maybe some kind individual on this board will post a full translation. Sun Aug 03 10:32:12 -0700 2008 3924978 10607 Luther 1 3926579 From Dinsdale's post on the New England Board: Anyway, VERY rough translations of the Chinese menu entrees: Broccoli Ormer (?) Whole fish with Sichuan Sauce Ma La Whole fish Sichuan pepper ‘dry’ fried seafood ‘Dry’ fried beef Duck Beer cooked duck Shark air bladder (fish stomach) Frog and frog leg Pork feet Pork tongue Pork colon Pork stomach Pork kidney Double cooked pork belly Beef tail Beef tendon Beef belly Rice wine cook egg Pork rib Jellyfish Squid Mussels Rice noodle Cold noodle Dan Dan noodle Permalink | Report | Reply Dinsdale45 Aug 01, 2008 06:47AM Sun Aug 03 12:24:12 -0700 2008 3924978 15131 three of us 1 3926779 Have you been to Sichuan Gourmet in Billerica? Let us know how it compares. Sun Aug 03 14:12:35 -0700 2008 3924978 13003 whs 1 3938336 Fifteen of us, including 10 Chinese, ate here today for lunch. Business looked to be booming with about a 70/30 Asian to Anglo crowd. We let the more experienced members of the party order for the table. Since I don't know what some of the dishes are called and most were off the Chinese menu, I'll just describe them. Actually, the menus in the restaurant are more extensive than the online/takeout menus. Dan Dan noodles Fried Tofu Dumplings Sliced Chicken in a spicy sauce Fried Pork Short Ribs Beef Tendon in chili sauce (this was just translucent tendon) Beef Tendon w/meat in chili sauce Poached Beef w/Cabbage in chili sauce Chong Qing Chicken Lamb w/ Cumin Double Cooked Pork A mixed plate with fish, stomach, pork, and intestine in chili sauce. Spicy Green Beans Seaweed Noodle Salad The Dan Dan noodles were tasty but were served with more broth than I've ever seen before. The dumplings were similar to those I've had at dim sum in Chinatown with soft tofu skins surrounding ground shrimp filling and were very good. The sliced chicken seemed like it was cooked in a pressure cooker because the bones had some "give" and was drenched in a dark brown sauce with lots of ground chiles. The chicken, with the skin and bones, was a little difficult to eat but the sauce itself was very good on rice. The whole tendon was spicy but a little chewy/texturally odd for my tastes but the other, more familiar tendon dish (tendon with meat) was as good as I've had. The ribs had more bone/gristle than meat and were good, but could've used a dipping sauce. The beef w/cabbage was decent but could've used a lit more ma la flavor intensity. The Chong Qing chicken was flavorful but had a lot of cartilage/bones in relation to meat. The Chinese probably prefer it this way. My favorite was the lamb with cumin. While not as flavorful as the Chilli Garden version of the dish, all the different element meshed very well. I had the last remnant of Double-cooked Pork and it was a less fatty, drier version than other times I've had it. The mixed plate was interesting. I had my first ever taste of intestine, and while not repulsive, doesn't appear to be something I'll seek out. The overall taste of the dish was similar to the beef w/cabbage. The green beans were cooked just right and retained a nice crunchiness and the seaweed salad was a nice palate cleanser, but could've used a bit more seasoning. All of the Chinese are big fans of Sichuan Gourmet in Billerica and rated this place a 3.5 to 4.5 for SG. I would have to agree but I'd bump it back up a bit for being so close to where I live. I can see myself becoming a regular. Thu Aug 07 11:32:12 -0700 2008 3924978 23030 Dinsdale45 2 3938643 NIce report. Thanks for the details. Thu Aug 07 12:45:20 -0700 2008 3938336 15131 three of us 1 3940267 Thanks for the report. I was intrigued by your original post, but now that I see the comparison to Sichuan Gourmet (far and away my favorite of the "Boston" Sichuanese options), I think I'll stick to Billerica, it's closer to home anyway! Fri Aug 08 05:49:48 -0700 2008 3924978 104728 qianning 1 4193629 Just ate there. Incredible! Best Sichuan that I've had north of New York. They have an adventurous menu (try the tripe & chili -- even, if like me, you don't normally like tripe -- this is a great dish). And the Sichuan hot pots are the best I've had since eating them in the heart of Sichuan province several years ago. They aren't on the english menu; you have to ask for the chinese language menu (the wait staff translates). We had the seafood option (there is a beef option too). Hot, flavorful, delicious. And, FWIW, no bad reaction the following day -- not always something you can count on after a spicy meal.... Will be going back soon. There aren't many authentic Sichuan restaurants in this area (or even in Boston itself, for that matter). This one is worth patronizing; we want to keep it open and thriving. Sat Nov 22 01:02:10 -0800 2008 3924978 242386 zxcvbn 2 4194424 zxcvbn not quite sure what you mean. Sichuan Gourmet, Red Peppers, Chilli Garden, and Sichuan Garden are all excellent Sichuan restaurants in the greater Boston area. Other Chinese restaurants such as Fuloon, Wang's, Qingdao Garden, Mulan, Shangri-la and Jo Jo Taipei all have some excellent and authentic Sichuan food on the menu. Each of these places offers broader, deeper and better Sichuan food than any restaurant I've tried in New York (Manhattan or Flushing). I really look forward to trying Sichan Palace in Chelmsford, but I wanted to post because I didn't understand whether you've tried these other restaurants as well, or what you were comparing it to. Sat Nov 22 13:01:51 -0800 2008 4193629 14328 lipoff 3 4195702 Lipoff -- I agree that Sichuan Gourmet and Sichuan Garden are excellent Sichuan restaurants, but do either offer Sichuan hot pots? I have not been impressed by Red Pepper and I only found a handful of very good dishes at Chili Garden, but I didn't notice any Sichuan hot pot dishes at these restaurants either. Sun Nov 23 08:49:14 -0800 2008 4194424 10630 tmab 4 4197257 I have had Sichuan hot pots at both Sichuan gourmet and garden. They are not the shabu-shabu like ones you cook yourself like at Sichaun Palace but they are made in the kitchen and brought out in a cast iron pot. Mon Nov 24 00:28:11 -0800 2008 4195702 10597 hargau