Is Cuisine Szechuan still good?

[sweettoothMTL]

A couple of years ago, it was the best Chinese in the city, and now, it's hardly mentioned anymore? Has it lost it's game?

Thanks

[Shattered]

The hot and sour soup is amazing; there's something in it I've never tasted before in h&s soup that gives it an extra edge - cumin, I think.

The lamb with cumin was great, too. The kung pao chicken was very good, better than most. Beans with pork was pretty good.

[Lolaray]

I had the Szetchuan Dumplings in Chile Sauce.It had absolutely no flavour.

Hot and Sour Soup was good .

Mistake to order Dan Dan noodles.Same sauce as dumplings .No flavour.Zero Spice and I ordered spicy.

[Lolaray]

Went for the first time today.I can't imagine it was ever good.

[mtlfoodguy]

yeah its still quite good...went last week at abuot 9pm on a friday...was packed and food was amazing! had the dumplings in spicy broth and twice cooked pork.

[Plateaumaman]

I had a really disappointing lunch there today, had to send back two cold bowls of rice, eggplant was burnt, hot and sour soup was sweet, mosquitoes in the bathroom. Am really hoping I just hit a bad day so I might have to be careful to only go back on a busy night. Seems to be a fair number of us hitting a bad day fairly often though. I wish we could keep track of our great chefs in Chinese restaurants the way we do in other places.

[canadiandina]

what are the best dishes to order for take-out?

[cherylmtl]

Most of the tofu dishes stand up well to take out, and most meat dishes with sauce (ie - cumin beef). Chili chicken will lose some of its crispness, but none of its flavour. I don't think they will do any of those large bowls of chili broth with varied ingredients for takeout, though (but they will do the wonton in hot soup, as it fits in a small-ish container).

[mattlane]

I was there a few months back, and was quite disappointed. CS is my Szechuan fix a few times a year (when I am not in London chowing down at No.10).

This was a mid-week lunch of cumin beef, green beens w/pork, and twice cooked pork. Each dish was nowhere near as good as usual. Strangely, the restaurant was almost empty - usually full from memory.

I will definitely head back when the lure of a hot wok, chillies and peppercorm becomes too great - and I will report back. I hope it was just a single off day.

Best,

Matt

[DDD]

I hope tonight was a 'chef's night off', because the food was not nearly as good as previously. Our shrimp dish contained cold shrimp - a couple still had ice on them, the dumplings were watery. Only the hot and sour soup and cumin chicken were still good.

[wokhei]

Definitely good, but give KanBai in that area a try- I think it eclipses CS.

[humbert]

I only went to Kanbai once but in no way I thought it was even close to Cuisine Szechuan! Except for the mapo tofu which was great the rest was sub par and not comparable.

[SnackHappy]

I've been to Kanbai four times and I still can't figure out what the big deal is.

[mainsqueeze]

I agree CS is superior to Kanbai. I have been to both a number of times.

I also enjoyed Niu Kee tremendously but I've only been once and I was starving so maybe everything tasted extra delicious for me that day. I have to go back, stat.

[porker]

I carry the banner for KanBai, but have to say their food is uneven at times.
Also, KanBai=alcohol License.......... Cuisine Szechuan=no license........ Porker eat @ KanBai

[The Chemist]

I thought they had beer now at CS?

[porker]

I wouldn't know.....too busy drinking wine and sake @ KanBai - hehe.

[The Chemist]

Off the top of your head, know any good Szechuan like CS in Boston? I'm getting a bit exasperated with a lack of authentic anything.

[porker]

Ahhh, not really off the top of my head...
I've been to Boston 3 times, the last being about 12 years ago. I was too busy swilling craft beer out of hand pumped taps to look for Szechuan joints. Maybe check the Boston board?

[Mr F]

It's been far too long since I've been to CS, but I'm pretty sure they've had beer since almost the beginning.

Agreed about KanBai being uneven... I am sure there is a chef's night off when everything falls apart and those who are truly in the know stay far away.

[sweettoothMTL]

Great, thanks.

[catroast]

still good

[Plateaumaman]

Agreed, very good the last few times I went.