@chandavkl, rereading the article, it appears you’ve eaten at about 200 new Chinese restaurants a year since 2013. Wow! Compared to the 10 years prior to that, do you attribute that rate strictly to restaurant availability, more dedication on your part, or a mix of the two?
I neglected to tag you in a Sichuan peppercorn thread. Sichuan food is multidimensional, but it is fascinating that, as you mention in your interview, the lack of their iconic spice in the US ( pre-new world introduction of chile) shaped its face so much for nearly 50 years. Am I correct that you were too young to experience the first wave of Sichuan dishes in the US, pre-Americanization? And do you know of any resources with menus from then? And any experience with Henry Hunan in its heyday beyond the dishes which survive in their menu?
I’m also curious— when/where was the first time you tasted a good quality Sichuan peppercorns in the US?
Have you been able to visit college towns much, and if so, are you seeing differences between what the mainland student-focused restaurants are cooking and larger trends in SGV?
