Real Szechuan Chinese Food In Bangkok

[Jingthing]

I am looking for the real deal real full octane Szechuan food, not fancy hotel stuff with elegant stir fryd in a clear red oil sauce that wouldn't offend your Aunt Hilda.

The kind of place that will have dishes with HOT AND NUMBING Szechuan peppers in some dishes.

These peppers are actually not very hot, nor are they technically peppers at all. They create a numbing effect on the tongue (almost druglike) and when you drink water while you are eating them, your tongue sizzles like baking soda. Once experienced in a well cooked dish, there is no turning back.

Anyway, is there any hope of finding such a restaurant in Bangkok? Also interested in hearing about authentic HUNAN restaurants in Bangkok.

http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa051200a.htm

However, this does not mean that Szechuan cooks had no way of producing heat prior to Columbus' transatlantic voyage. Szechuan pepper is another important ingredient in Szechuan cooking. Also known as pepper flower, Chinese pepper, and fagara, Szechuan pepper is not a pepper at all. Instead, the reddish-brown fruit - one of the ingredients in five spice powder - is a berry that comes from the prickly ash tree. While not as hot as chili pepper, it does have a unique flavor, and is famous for its numbing effect on the tongue.

Here is an example of what I am talking about, this is a Roast Fish in Spicy Sauce Szechuan style. Notice the wonderful Chinese BREAD in the picture. A real authentic Szechuan will also these breads on offer.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Jingthing

[pampal]

I have yet to find authentic Szechuan cuisine in Bkk, and I have tried most place in and around Yaowarat.

[Jingthing]

Here are some listings that I have found with some kind of Szechuan. The first one is a great dim sum place in a great hotel. I doubt their Sechuan food would be the type I am looking for. The second sounds like it has potential. One idea might be to bring along some of the hot and numbing peppers and give them to the chef so he knows you want them cooked in some of the dishes. Yes, I might be that desperate. Anyone tried the second one, Tong Lai Sun, and does it still exist?

[

Lok Wah Hin | Chinese Novotel Siam Square, expensive

Cantonese and Sichuan delights prepared by a Chinese chef

Tong Lai Sun | Chinese

Daily 11:00-22:00 | On a narrow soi of Sukhumvit Soi 41, behind the Miracle Mall, about 50 m from Sukhumvit Rd, and behind a glass façade lined with black laminate

A real find that serves Chinese dishes with a Sechuan twist. This is a moderately priced restaurant, but its size and lack of notoriety make it a hole in the wall. I enjoy the B180 stir fried mutton with celery, onion, red chilli and spring onion. There are also several beef dishes on the menu. The beef with potatoes, garlic and chilli is especially good. This place is a refreshing change from the Cantonese fare dominating in Bangkok.

BTW: I think I have found what I am looking for! However, it is is SINGAPORE. Not so far, really. Check out some of the food pictures and prepare to salivate. You can also clearly see the distinctive pepper flowers in many of these pictures.:

http://superfinefeline.blogspot.com/2008/0...chuan-food.html

Edited July 17, 2008 by Jingthing

[Ithailian]

I've been looking for years around Bangkok for a real Szechwan place. Can't find anything even close to real Szechwan food.

There is a hotpot place on Thong-lor (3rd floor United Tower - Soi 17) that has a meager approximation of Szechwan hot-pot. Not really that good and it's expensive.

I've found that Thai's are pretty stuck on the Thai version of spicy ... sour, raw, and hot. Szechwan Style Hot ... Spicy + Oil + Numb may be to strange for Thai's to be popular (so says my Thai girlfriend ... but she likes it).

All that said, I am convinced a Street Cart selling La Ji Gee (Chicken dry stirfried with a mountain of chilies, ginger, ma (numbing chilie), and shallots would be very popular. Maybe the ingredients are too expensive.

[Jingthing]

The numbing peppers are quite cheap so its not the cost. I agree my impression is that most Thais are not foodies in the western sense, and not very adventurous. A typical conversation. Do you like Mexican? Thai: No, it's SPICY! (said while eating some fiery som tum) But Thai food is spicy? Thai: Mexican is DIFFERENT spicy.

How about HUNAN in food in Bangkok? Anywhere?

Edited July 19, 2008 by Jingthing

[Ithailian]

FYI - I went to Tong Lai Sun tonight (Suk 41). While I found that the dishes seemed to be lacking the copious amounts of chilies, garlic, and spices found in true Szechwan style, the food was good enough to merit return visits.

[Jingthing]

FYI - I went to Tong Lai Sun tonight (Suk 41). While I found that the dishes seemed to be lacking the copious amounts of chilies, garlic, and spices found in true Szechwan style, the food was good enough to merit return visits.

Oh, that's great to hear. Did you notice if they use any of the hot and numbing peppers that are the distinctive thing about Szechuan cooking? You can tell if your mouth sizzles when you drink water. Sometimes the flavor is added with an oil, sometimes with crushed or pieces of the peppers (which technically are not peppers at all). I have determined that the peppers are widely available in Thailand. I have seen them but they are not labeled in English, but I know what they look like. Interesting that you mention garlic. I have been looking at some Szechuan recipes and really don't see that much use of garlic in it (maybe I haven't read enough about it yet). I live in Pattaya and will visit this place next time in Bangkok, didn't bother to ask about Szechuan in Pattaya because I know we don't have it. Well, unless you count the ma po tofu you can get at many standard Chinese restaurants.