Szechuan Food!
 

I used to regular a place in HK called San Xi Lou for some pretty awesome szechuan food and since coming back to Vancouver, I've been on the lookout for the same or similar dishes like the ones below:

http://static3.openrice.com.hk/UserP...A971E9202l.jpg
http://static4.openrice.com.hk/UserP...60EFCF370l.jpg
http://static2.openrice.com.hk/UserP...9DC365F05l.jpg

:sweetjesus::sweetjesus::sweetjesus::sweetjesus:

Although after eating this, you may suffer the next morning from what I like to call "The ring of fire" or "Mao's revenge", it's seriously tasty and would probably be awesome for Vancouver's winters. If anyone knows where I might be able to get stuff like this, I may or may not give you a high five.

nom nom nom

For some mainland food / Szechuan food, I present you:

Nine Dishes on Kensington.

Hands down best Mainland food (non-Cantonese) that I've had in Greater Vancouver. It's owned by a guy from Beijing and rice is all you can eat, as in you get up and get it from the rice cooker yourself (although he'll get pissed if you abuse this/ it's rude in the first place to get >5 bowls of rice). You have to write whatever you want on this receipt he gives you then you give it to him. Waiters won't come to you (mainly him who runs the floor but occasionally there's this other guy who comes out).

You get brownie points if you speak Mandarin, especially with a Beijing accent, as he seems to give bonus treatment to those who chit chat with him a lot, e.g. free drinks, some free dishes.

I'm not from the Mainland and I can't speak Mandarin but food is hella good. He understands English as well.

^You forgot, the place is absolutely filthy.

And FYI, the taste is rather acquired. Not everyone will like how they prepare food there (I didn't, though it tasted like trash.)

chongqing on broadway is my favorite szechuan joint

mmm ginger beef
http://thefridaylunch.files.wordpres...2780.jpg?w=590

To me, szechuan food isn't szechuan food without the right peppers:

http://www.rasamalaysia.com/uploaded...uan_pepper.jpg

They have a particular type of spiciness that other peppers don't. They don't really 'burn' as much, and leave a strong minty + spicy + 'gum' aftertaste (that's a chinese word and I honestly don't know what the english equivalent would be)

Try finding an authentic place if you can, it's a totally different experience IMO. It looks like the first picture in the OP has them, but not the second.

Nine Dishes.
Alvin Garden.

Agreed! The szechuan peppercorns are amazing! They have a super distinct flavour and a numbing effect when you bite into them. It's not for everyone but god do I ever love that stuff...

I agree it's an acquired taste. Assuming the OP already has an idea of how this style of food tastes, there is a good chance that he will enjoy eating the food from there. I didn't find it filthy either and they have TV's up which were playing the Canucks game that night :fuckyea:

szechuan girls are even better.

Check out wah wing in coquitlam, they are a szechuan restaurant and I will bet you dinner there they will have what you are looking for.

I'm a white guy and don't know all that much but they are a traditional place and I'm sure you will get what you want.
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