Sichuan Pavilion has long been a favorite of mine for spicy, delicious Chinese cuisine. It had been about a year since I’d been, until recently, when I went twice in one week. I forgot how much I loved it!

Located on K Street in Farragut, it’s easily accessible. The menu offers a variety of dishes, so you can take your friends who still consider General Tso’s to be good Chinese cuisine. The service is always professional, and while the dining area tends to be a bit crowded, the decor is quite nice.

Wonton Soup

I tried the Wonton Soup for the first time, and found both the broth and dumplings flavorful. The Dumplings in Sichuan sauce are well-filled with pork and the sauce is not mouth-numbing hot, but has a nice kick. The Ma Po Tofu has a rich, spicy sauce and the tofu is soft and pillowy. The portion is huge, too.

However, my all-time favorite Sichuan Pavilion dish is the Tea-smoked Duck. The duck is beautiful, with a nice layer of fat and crispy skin, and a truly smoky flavor. I could just eat the duck, but I usually give in and add the duck, vegetables, and plum sauce to the bao wrappers. But even alone, the duck is amazing. It also works well for takeout or as leftovers.

I’ve also had the Polynesian drinks here, most recently the Suffering Bastard. The drinks are potent and reasonably priced, though there was no discernible difference between my drink and a friend’s Mai Tai.

I’m always happy to see that Sichuan Pavilion is still popular and that the food is still as good as I remember it.

-LEM (Lia)