[DFW - Plano] Little Sichuan Cuisine

[Richard Kilgore]

Little Sechuan Cuisine

240 Legacy Drive

Plano, Texas 75023

972-517-1979

972-517-1374

Mon-Sun: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

eG Society member Greg Glancy recommended Little Sechuan to me a couple of months ago and I went there with friends recently, however they were interested in the Chinese-American items on the menu, so I did not really get to taste what the kitchen does. Except for the plate of dumplings. Oh my.

Last night I dropped in after an evening of shopping for food for making dishes from Paula Wolfert's new book on Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. First I ordered an Onion Pancake for an app and a plate of the House Special Dumplings (again). Still curious I ordered a bowl of House Special Beef Noodle Soup. Nothing else I have eaten there that was labeled spicy has been a problem, but this set me on fire and tears ran down my face. But a delicious bowl it is, and I would order it again and ask them to cut the heat in half. Fuller than full, I had to take more than half of the huge bowl home with me.

But this, of course, is a place for eating with several people family style. I'll be back.

[Liveitloud]

Hi Richard. Is the restaurant in the shopping center with the big Asian market by central expressway? I live in Plano and I'm always looking for good Chinese food. There used to be a great ( I thought) restaurant over at Springcreek and Custer called Beijing. I ate there for years and loved their food. They closed down 3 years ago and I have yet to find a restaurant replacement.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yes, in the shopping center just to the west of the large Asian market.

[Andrew Chalk]

Once upon a time, on a site far, far away, I once wrote:

Impression: Little Sichuan Cuisine

by Worzel_Gummidge » Sun May 31, 2009 12:40 pm

I have been exhorted to visit this place by Soulslinger and others for some time, and by Friday was flat out of excuses. The suite of Chinese restaurants is now so strong in the Metroplex that any new place seeking seat time needs a compelling case just to be heard. In the words of the zombies on the Food Network it has to be very unique (If one of something is unique, then how many instances are there of something that is very unique?). My impression (and it is just that, being based on one visit) is that Little Sichuan succeeds.

The last word that would describe the décor here would be ‘pretentious’. Unless it’s pretentious not to have décor. Little Sichuan has the tables parted up the center for an easy walk to the counter (presumably for take-out patrons), no carpet on the floor, no wind trap to prevent the elements following every visitor in, and no tablecloths. It also, mercifully, does not have piped music. The specials are scribbled on a board in Mandarin and most of the staff do not speak English.

But boy can they cook. We started with an appetizer of Ox Tongue and Tripe with Roasted Chili-Peanut Vinaigrette ($7.95). Gossamer-thin slices of tongue interleaved with thicker slices of tripe in a construction certainly bathed in vinegar, although not a conventional vinaigrette. The chili contributed its striking flavor to the whole, but despite this dish being annotated with two chilis in the menu, it wasn’t hot enough to give one pause. Certainly nothing like sitting around downtown Pyongyang when the short guy with the Jimmy Choo’s decides it would be a nice day to launch a missile.

It’s great to see tongue on a menu again. It used to be a commonplace cold cut for me as a child that my child’s palette deprecated. Returning to it now it’s very unique (there I go again -- who needs a vocabulary when words will do).

Our first main course was simply called Shredded Duck with Ginger ($15.95), and maybe that’s all it was. It was a model of ingredient economy without any sacrifice in flavor complexity. The meat had been pulled apart, into coarse strands and sautéed with the ginger, likely with some seasoning as well. Eked over rice this was a winner.

Next, the thermonuclear entrée. Sliced Pork & Napa Cabbage with Spicy Chili Sauce ($10.95). I was transfixed by the taste but the three chili warning in the menu was truth in advertising. My mouth burned for several minutes afterwards despite the application of rice and water.

One general observation about all of the dishes that we tried is that the kitchen goes heavy with the salt. If this is an issue with you, mention it up front (preferably in Madarin). Also, helpings are massive so bring the truck. The language issues mentioned above are not a problem and service was very friendly throughout our visit.

Little Sichuan is definitely a keeper. We plan to return with our wino crowd in order to tackle the daunting but enjoyable issue of what wine goes best with Sichuan food. I would guess fruit bombs with soft tannins like Shiraz and Zinfandel.

Finally, check out the neighborhood. This mall is anchored by a massive Asian supermarket Asia World Market that is worth a lengthy tour in its own right. The other units in the mall are leased to restaurants representing different varieties of Asian Food. There is Umeko (sushi), Pho Que Huong (vietnamese), Iravat (Indian) and J.S. Chen’s (dim sum/Cantonese). Others will surely follow as a new mall is being built right next door.

Little Sichuan

240 Legacy Drive, Plano, 75023

(Legacy at US-75)

972-517-1374

[Liveitloud]

Thanks everyone I will give them a try for sure. Sounds exciting. I'm really a huge fan of the heat.