This latest group HO dinner took us to Chuan Tian Xia for Sichuan. Our group of nine was seated in a secluded alcove in the basement, excellent for lively conversation but in need of a lazy susan to make passing plates easier. A lot of them came with burners underneath - great for retaining heat, not so great for lifting or sliding.
From the Nice Cold Dishes section of the menu, Chengdu Cold Noodle. This is one of my favorite Sichuan dishes, so much so that I make it at home. Which means that Iâm rarely that impressed with restaurant versions (not that mine is so great, but I figure if I can make itâŠ) Anyway, it was fine.
Griddle cauliflower, a dish I would have never thought to order, but this was very solid - crunchy texture, lightly sauced, just an excellent side dish.
Dan Dan noodles. Iâve never had these, because they involve ground meat. But these came with avoidable meat! I was very happy to be able to try them, but they were essentially peanut noodles with greens. Probably needs the meat to really come together.
Fish flavored eggplant. The eggplant could have been cooked a tad more - it wasnât quite soft enough. And the sauce was too sweet for me. I think others in the group mightâve like this more than I did. It looks very pretty, though.
Salted egg yolk tofu. This was a real standout, soupier than I was counting on, but such a pleasing flavor. And a few surprise shrimp, even!
Sour fish soup, a dish with a lot of potential which didnât quite live up to it. The fish itself didnât have too much personality, so the heavy lifting was done by the pickled vegetables, which shouldâve worked just a little harder.
I forget the name of this tofu - it doesnât seem to be on the online menu - but it was quite lovely, chewy and beautifully sauced.
I think I missed a couple of dishes - hopefully someone will fill in the blanks.
All in all, a generally satisfying meal, if not a spectacular one. It was great to see (and hear!) everyone, and to meet @FlemSnopes.