I guess I'll eventually do takeout from every restaurant in Sunrise Towne Center….after all; it's pretty easy to order, then do my shopping at Nijiya. This time around; I decided to get some takeout from Spicy House since it had been a while since I last visited.
Right now; there's one table outside which is kind of worn and looks like it needs cleaning. There's a table at the entrance to the place where you can order. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually have some Liang Cai; the typical Sichuan cold dishes that you usually pick from a a cold table….though the variety was pretty slim pickins'…no bamboo shoots, no green beans, no beef tendon; but I managed to get an order in. I'd been craving some Sichuan……..
So, I ordered the Ko Shui Ji (mouthwatering chicken), a favorite of mine when the weather turns warmer and thinking of what we'd enjoy as leftovers, some Tea Smoked Duck.
The liang cai was ok; the smacked cucumbers were kind of bland; but the Missus enjoyed them. The Fu Qui Fei Pian here is not too bad, with a decent amount of "ma" (numbing from Sichuan Peppercorns), nice beefiness, a good toothsome chew, mild heat, and a touch of anise.
The Ko Shui Ji, the cold chicken dish I enjoy so much; wasn't very good. At least it was nicely chilled, but really lacking in "ma-la", the signature numbing hot that I love from Sichuan cuisine. The sauce was an odd brownish color and seemed watered down. I do enjoy the complexity in good versions of this dish; black vinegar, garlic, a touch of ginger….all missing here. It seemed quite watered down in flavor and the chicken was a bit on the dry side as well.
The Tea Smoked Duck was actually not bad, a bit on the dry side, but it had a nice smoky-"fowlness" and wasn't too salty. The portion size was quite large for $14.99 and leftovers did well minced with water chestnut, cilantro, and scallions or with some noodle soup; so I really can't complain.
I guess; at least for now, the liang cai and tea smoked duck might not be too bad a choice.
Spicy House
3860 Convoy Street #105
San Diego, CA 92111