I'm not sure how I stumbled upon the Mission Chinese Food menu, but when I did, nearly every item sounded worthy of a 90 minute commute. But if I had been completely unaware of the existence of an excellent Sichuan restaurant at 154 Orchard Street, I'd be unwilling to even accept a free meal there. The interior appears shoddy and dungeon-like from the outside, and the neon green "take out sign"only adds to the eerie vibe. I mean, I could think of all sorts of stereotypes the storefront may trigger, but I won't go into them.
We had just eaten a late lunch but to avoid the long lines we arrived at 4:30, thirty minutes before opening. I felt very much like a glutton as I hadn't even digested my lunch and I was waiting on line for dinner! But arriving any later would result in a two-hour wait on a dreadfully muggy afternoon, and I was even less for that.
We had just eaten a late lunch but to avoid the long lines we arrived at 4:30, thirty minutes before opening. I felt very much like a glutton as I hadn't even digested my lunch and I was waiting on line for dinner! But arriving any later would result in a two-hour wait on a dreadfully muggy afternoon, and I was even less for that.
Our first entree arrived hissing loudly on cast iron platter. Resting on a bed of wilted watercress, pickled long beans, and caramelized sticky dates, the cumin-scented hunks of bone-in fatty lamb breasts were seared crisp and remained luscious on the inside. I found the sweet, sticky dates unnecessary and thought they would be better off tempering a spicy dish.
Below is the fish fragrant eggplant. It was a tasty eggplant dish, but that's all I can say about it. It lacks originality compared to some of the other options. I'd recommend saving room (literally - the tables are inconveniently small) for the other dishes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the thrice cooked bacon, a medley of rice cake, thick bacon, fried bean curd, bitter melon, and a discreet sprinkling of fermented black beans. The bacon lent the bitter melon tons of smoky sweetness to balance out the bitterness. The chewy rice cakes were delicious cooked with bacon fat and pungent black bean. This is more of a rice cake dish more than a bacon dish, in my opinion. I wasn't pleased with the bacon, which was fatty and almost soggy, textures I wouldn't expect after something has supposedly been cooked three times.
Our had waitress explained to us that this restaurant features food prepared with a different kind of heat than that of a jalapeño pepper. She told us it slowly builds and is surprisingly potent.
I ignored her warning. Having grown up eating stuff, I didn't think it was going to be a big deal.
I ignored her warning. Having grown up eating stuff, I didn't think it was going to be a big deal.
But these wings are something else, unlike anything my taste buds have ever experienced. Sure, I've had my fair share of peppercorn-based casserole and chili oil mung bean jelly at a variety of Sichuan restaurants, but nothing would compare to the intensity of these wonderfully crispy, impossibly juicy double-fried wings.
They were dusted with a powder mixture that's initially sweet / savory then mercilessly numbing. You soon realize your lips and cheeks are numb, your eyes are watery, your head is throbbing and you're on a peppercorn high. It took some time to recover, and when I did I felt a tinge of embarrassment for assuming I had tried it all.
There is a winding red paper dragon hanging from the lights that casts an annoying magenta light on everything and everyone in the dining room. I didn't enjoy eating on a stool or waiting in line or the poorly unventilated space. But the flavors. The flavors were bold and potent, unique and imaginative. It didn't matter whether this food was authentic, which seems to be a huge debate centering this particular restaurant. And it shouldn't matter. I'd make the commute again any time for those chicken wings, and the many items I've yet to try.
Mission Chinese Food
154 Orchard Street
