Szechuan Gourmet
4.5 Stars
Szechuan Gourmet
242 W. 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
http://www.szechuangourmet.net/Welcome
It was a cold winter night and our dear friend, Big Belly Foodie, was visiting New York for a few days. We decided to meet him and have dinner. When we stepped into Szechuan Gourmet, there was an immediate change from the blustery cold of outside. The restaurant was both warm inside and had an inviting atmosphere. Szechuan Gourmet’s website says, “At Szechuan Gourmet, you can load your plate without emptying your wallet and enjoy a meal as tasty as it is affordable. We serve all your favorites, like spicy General Tso’s Chicken or sweet Crispy Orange Chicken over a bed of rice.” Big Baby thinks this is partially true, but they may be exaggerating a little bit about their food and prices.
We were seated immediately, and the staff waited for us to get settled and remove our coats before coming over and offering us drinks and water. The menu is large, and it had a wide variety of dishes. There were many authentic Szechuan dishes, as well as the classics that we Americans tend to expect from a Chinese restaurant. After much deliberation, we decided on egg drop soup for Big Baby and me, steamed vegetable dumplings, cold sesame noodles, shredded chicken with garlic sauce, beef lo mein with only broccoli and carrots, and pan fried noodles with mixed seafood.
Big Baby says:
Atmosphere: 9 Cleanliness: 9 Food: 10 Service: 9
Average Score: 9
The beef lo mein was excellent. The meat is so juicy. I also had egg drop soup. It was a larger than average bowl, and a little saltier than average, but it was still amazing. The egg drop soup was extremely tasty. It was a very delicate soup. If you put in any more of any seasoning, it tasted likely to explode with flavor. Mama Foodie and I shared vegetable dumplings. The noodle around them was thin, but the flavor was amazing.
The atmosphere was just the way I like it. Quiet, with some stuff, but not too much to look at (If you have too much to look at, you don’t have time to look at your other critics and talk to them about the food, the atmosphere and whatnot).
The service was polite but all business. I like the service to be polite, but being all business is the critic’s job. Still, I could use a little help with that from time to time. The waiters did not make any mistakes with any of the order that I asked for.
The cleanliness was exceptional. I didn’t see a single spot in the bathroom. The corners had the tiniest amount of dust in them, but for the most part the restaurant was very clean.
I suggest going there and dining in because everything is so great.
Mama Foodie Says:
Atmosphere: 8 Cleanliness: 9 Food: 9 Service: 9
Average Score: 8.5
The egg drop soup had a lovely, delicate flavor. I am a person who prefers a bit of crunch in my soup, so I do wish it had come with either scallions or crispy noodles. The dumplings were a little gummy, but the vegetable filling was very flavorful. The dipping sauce added the perfect boost to the flavor. My chicken and garlic sauce was very nice. The garlic was definitely present but not overpowering. The soft mushrooms were the perfect contrast to the crunch of the green vegetables.
The service was excellent. We did have to ask for more water once, but otherwise, everything came as ordered, and the staff were very informed about the menu. Plates were cleared as they became empty and there was a perfect flow to the meal.
The décor was appealing but not overdone. It had a very contemporary feel with a few choice pieces of Chinese themed decorative items. I loved the blue bowl in the bathroom. The restaurant was clean and inviting. If you find yourself in the area, I recommend stopping in for a meal.
Big Belly Foodie says:
Atmosphere: 8 Cleanliness: 9 Food: 9 Service: 9
Average Score: 8.5
I was lucky enough to join two friends for dinner on a chilly January evening at Szechuan Gourmet. The dining room was warm and neat and the waitstaff were very friendly. We received water immediately and as we perused the menu all my questions were competently answered.
The menu is extensive, and this made it incredibly difficult to choose from all the wonderful selections. I finally decided to overload on carbs and order the Chilled Noodles with Spicy Sesame Vinaigrette as my appetizer and the Pan Fried Noodles with Mixed Seafood as my entrée.
The appetizers arrived within 5 minutes of placing our order. My chilled noodles had a wonderful, spicy note balanced with acidity and a touch of sweetness. I thoroughly enjoyed the spice and had to control myself from licking the plate, to save room for my entrée.
I did enjoy the weight and sturdiness of the chopsticks. They were easy to use. The waitstaff were very prompt to give us a fork when we asked for one. Water service could have been a bit faster, but they were still very congenial.
Our entrees arrived only a few minutes after our appetizers were cleared. I enjoyed the quick service. My Pan Fried Noodles were served exactly as the waiter described; he said they would have a crunch from being fried, but soften with the addition of the sauce. They were perfect. The fresh flavor of the seafood was sang throughout the dish and the lightness of the sauce kept me going back for more and more bites. The dish was so big that I could not eat it all, but I dish finish all of the noodles because they were so delicious. I loved the texture.
Overall, I had a wonderful experience.
I would give Szechuan Gourmet a 9 and I would tell all of my friends about it!
I’ll definitely check this out! Thanks for posting. I never know where you’ll be reviewing next – that’s part of the fun.