{"id":4013,"date":"2017-09-30T16:00:08","date_gmt":"2017-09-30T20:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?p=4013"},"modified":"2018-09-29T18:31:47","modified_gmt":"2018-09-29T22:31:47","slug":"guan-fu-sichuan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?p=4013","title":{"rendered":"Guan Fu Sichuan"},"content":{"rendered":"

My Instagram posts are usually brief takes on restaurants accompanied by a photo or two. (You can see my feed right here, updated almost daily, by selecting the \u201cInstagram\u201d category from my home page \u2013 no signup required.) But folks sometimes ask for fuller reviews and more photos, so in response, here\u2019s a more comprehensive report on one of my favorites.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Every once in a while, a new Sichuan restaurant comes along and it\u2019s so good that you feel compelled to shout about it from the rooftops and tell the world. But seldom does a new Sichuan restaurant show up that\u2019s so remarkable, so outstanding, so clearly superior in every way that you fall silent, awestruck, in appreciation of every skillfully prepared bite.<\/p>\n

Such was my experience at Guan Fu Sichuan.<\/p>\n

Here are a few favorites from my recent visit. (Click any photo to view in glorious high resolution.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Kung Pao Lobster<\/p>\n

Kung Pao Lobster (\u5bab\u4fdd\u9f99\u867e). Not what you\u2019d expect when you hear \u201cKung Pao\u201d anything. Masterfully seasoned (no heavy-handed spice complication) and exquisitely plated, the contrast between the crisp peanuts and the melt-in-your-mouth lobster was perfection.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sichuan Style Scallop with Minced Garlic<\/p>\n

Sichuan Style Scallop with Minced Garlic (\u849c\u84c9\u84b8\u6247\u8d1d). Each perfectly prepared, alive-moments-ago scallop is balanced atop a nest of noodles bathed in an ambrosial scallop broth \u2013 truly a culinary gem. They\u2019re break-your-heart luscious but break-the-bank expensive at $10 apiece. But do take note: I resolutely champion the tenet that ethnic\/world food should never be relegated to the \u201ccheap eats\u201d category. The talent and creativity (not to mention the quality ingredients) that go into making this \u2013 and every \u2013 dish at Guan Fu justify the price as would any equivalent experience at a schmancy French restaurant. In my opinion, Guan Fu rates a firmament of stars for its inventive cuisine and presentation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Razor Clams with Green Pepper<\/p>\n

Our appetizer of sweet, tender razor clams with mildly spicy green pepper (\u70e7\u6912\u5723\u5b50\u7687) was delicate yet distinctive. I admit that I\u2019m easy to please when it comes to razor clams but I\u2019ve never had them prepared with such finesse. Again, an expertly crafted dish.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Fried Corn<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve heard of Candy Corn, right? Well, as far as I\u2019m concerned, this dish is Corn Candy and it\u2019s amazing. It\u2019s called simply Fried Corn (\u91d1\u6c99\u7389\u7c73) – sweet corn prepared with salted duck egg yolk and I could probably eat a whole plate of it myself. Simple, yet elegant, another Guan Fu must-have.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Spicy Oil Wontons<\/p>\n

From the Snacks section of the menu, they\u2019re just innocent looking dumplings, right? But again, at Guan Fu, they\u2019re a cut above. Often you hear folks report whether the skins are thick or thin and that\u2019s where the description ends. These Spicy Oil Wontons (\u7ea2\u6cb9\u6284\u624b) (medium thickness and perfect chew) are swaddled in a delicious wrapper (how often do you hear people talk about how good the wrapper tasted?), stuffed to bursting with a savory meaty filling, and swimming in a not-too-spicy sauce.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage and Chili<\/p>\n

Boiled Fish with Pickled Cabbage and Chili (\u9178\u83dc\u9c7c) is available with different kinds of fish – the least bony is the most costly, and even then you’ll need to be careful.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Mapo Tofu<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t like Mapo Tofu (\u9ebb\u5a46\u8c46\u8150) said nobody ever. Once again, Guan Fu\u2019s rendering was exemplary. Fluffy, remarkably soft pillows of tofu in a sauce that was complex and flavorful that went well beyond the ubiquitous nondescript spicy versions.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Guanfu Style Bean Jelly Salad<\/p>\n

Guanfu Style Bean Jelly Salad (\u5ddd\u5317\u51c9\u7c89) was a perfect way to start our meal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Cucumber with Home Sauce<\/p>\n

Cucumber with Home Sauce (\u6cbe\u9171\u4e73\u74dc), essentially Persian cucumber with hoisin sauce, was the most uncomplicated dish I tried; tastes exactly as it sounds.<\/p>\n

 
\nGuan Fu Sichuan is located in Flushing Square, 39-16 Prince Street G01, in Flushing, Queens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Instagram posts are usually brief takes on restaurants accompanied by a photo or two. (You can see my feed right here, updated almost daily, by selecting the \u201cInstagram\u201d category from my home page \u2013 no signup required.) But folks … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3336,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115,6],"tags":[35,55],"class_list":["post-4013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-restaurant-reviews-extended","category-restaurants-food-courts","tag-chinese","tag-sichuan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4013"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5090,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4013\/revisions\/5090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}