Chung King
Chung King (206 S. Garfield Ave., Monterey Park; (626) 280-7430), the third in my list of mind-blowing Szechwan restaurants in the "Gaber-hood". It's essentially impossible for me to separate Yungui Garden, Best Szechwan and Chung King. Some dishes are unique to each place, best I can do is report highlights from a meal with chowhounds Thi, Sarah and Jim:
Fried spare ribs with Szechwan peppercorns. Comes with keropok/Indonesian shrimp chips. Amazing deep-fried crispiness but still moist inside.
Fish-flavour eggplant. In hot pot. None too "fishy" to my taste but a tremendous dish. Spicy eggplant is juicy and stays hot in claypot.
Dry-fried soy beans. Dry-frying makes more of a difference with string beans it appears. These are nutty and good though.
Beef with jellied tofu in hot pepper sauce [water-boiled style]. Not quite the equal of the similar dish at Yungui Garden when I tried it. However, the soft tofu is exemplary.
Quick-fried potato shreds. Subtle Szechwan peppercorn flavour. A good non-incendiary option.
Cold dishes from the display $3-4 for three?
fuqi feipian inevitable appetizer at Szechwan place, a "delight" for couples and others
peanuts and small fish (my favourite of these three)
seaweed and Szechwan peppercorns
Shockingly, Thi and Sarah said this wasn't close to their best meal at Chung King. As if one needed an excuse to return...
Fried spare ribs with Szechwan peppercorns. Comes with keropok/Indonesian shrimp chips. Amazing deep-fried crispiness but still moist inside.
Fish-flavour eggplant. In hot pot. None too "fishy" to my taste but a tremendous dish. Spicy eggplant is juicy and stays hot in claypot.
Dry-fried soy beans. Dry-frying makes more of a difference with string beans it appears. These are nutty and good though.
Beef with jellied tofu in hot pepper sauce [water-boiled style]. Not quite the equal of the similar dish at Yungui Garden when I tried it. However, the soft tofu is exemplary.
Quick-fried potato shreds. Subtle Szechwan peppercorn flavour. A good non-incendiary option.
Cold dishes from the display $3-4 for three?
fuqi feipian inevitable appetizer at Szechwan place, a "delight" for couples and others
peanuts and small fish (my favourite of these three)
seaweed and Szechwan peppercorns
Shockingly, Thi and Sarah said this wasn't close to their best meal at Chung King. As if one needed an excuse to return...
posted by Simon at 8:09 PM
2 Comments:
Simon - Don't know if this is generally known - but the original Chef from ChungKing is now here in San Diego at Ba Ren Restaurant. Has been for a little over a year and a half. Now we don't have to drive all the way to LA for Szechuan!
Last night I took a friend of mine to Chung King. The look of unbelievable pleasure when he first tasted each dish was something I will remember for the rest of my life. My wife on the other hand found the dishes to be truly dangerous but still delicious. We had dried beef,cucumbers and the little fried peanut and dried fish for an appetizer. For mains we had Stir Fried Eels with Fermented Peppers-delicious, Beef with Tofu in Small Pot-hot,hot,hot, Fried Chicken Cubes w/ Chilies-1/2 chilies 1/2 fried chicken bits and finally Cabbage w/Chiles. We loved it. Thanks for your website it's great!
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