I had my wedding banquet at Sunny Palace; they did a pretty good job with it. Never had a banquet at West Lake so can’t really compare to SP.
I did do one in Crown Palace to celebrate the birth of my son. Big mistake!! Absolute dog food…
Just a request to whoever is organizing the Chinese banquet or whatever at West Lake–please try to avoid the last two weekends in April (Passover).
Although I was unable to join you guys for this feast, I had been jealously following along. When a trip to the Asian Grocery store was on yesterday’s agenda, I recalled @CurlzNJ’s comment concerning its proximity to SC. “Dinner!” I thought excitedly.
We had a great meal. I sincerely enjoyed the Tongue and Tripe, like at least some of you, as well as the Three Pepper Chicken, but thought the Beef with Roasted Chiles and Hot Oil was absolutely outstanding. If anybody makes it back, add that one to your order.
Is that the one that comes in a cauldron almost like a soup with a slick of oil on top? With cabbage and bean sprouts? If so we got the fish version when Curlz Seal and I went. Yum!
That was indeed the stuff. Lip-tinglingly, nose ticklingly delicious.
The only real flaw with the meal was the fact that the long, hot green pepper dish is, at least for now, no longer available.
Don’t they also have a Fish Filet with Roasted Chiles and Hot Oil?
Yes-- that’s the dish Joon was talking about… It was delicious!
Yeah from what I’ve seen at Sichuan restaurants this is one of the staples. I think the translation is water boiled fish.
Even though I’m a huge carnivore and beef is probably my favorite protein, I enjoy the fish version of this dish better. I think the neutral flavor of the fish makes a better delivery vessel. Having said that, I had a pretty kick ass beef version at Chulicious in Mt. Laurel over the weekend. It hit all of the right spice points. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/chulicious-mount-laurel?select=tMolAouN5XmHUvSaEivjVQ
I think this dish is a pretty good barometer of how hardcore a Sichuan restaurant is willing to be. I’m sure there are plenty of variations but I’ve only ever seen the “real deal” version at Cheng Du 1 in Cedar Grove. It was my first time eating at a Sichuan place and it was probably the most terrifying dish I’d ever seen (and I’ve eaten some weird shit). The entire thing came out just covered in chili, like this: https://ricetales.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/11.jpg
That’s right–make us jealous…
The menu from Chengdu 1 is avail at Chengdu 1 Palace on Rt 22 in Green Brook… Just note that they have dim sum on weekends at lunchtime.
With a Chinatown chef doing dim sum at Crown Palace across the street from Sichuan Cottage, I doubt I’d drive to Green Brook for that.
I don’t go to C1P for dim sum! 
I don’t like the dim sum at CP either. Recently, the Oriental (Little Saigon’s old spot) on Route 9 north started serving Dim Sum. No cart service and limited on the selection but the quality is better than CP.
I can’t say I had forgotten, but last night I was reminded of just how good Szechuan Cottage is – and work the 15 –18 mile drive for me!
Two of us shared what have now become our go -to dishes there… The Westlake beef chowder, the lamb with cumin, and the Szechuan dumplings in chili oil. Then I remembered the fish “stew” that @joonjoon insisted we try… It’s fish fillets swimming in a VAT of roasted chilies and oil and damn if that isn’t fantastic flavor! #921 on the menu, and now officially added to my go-to list there. 
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When I saw the thread title I got all excited thinking there was a banquet being organized for the Chinese New Year coming in February. 
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Yeah…I was thinking of asking @NotJrvedivici or @seal to change the title of this thread, as there isn’t ONE for Szechuan Cottage. Guys, what do you think?
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