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PORT CHESTER, NY - All Chinese restaurants are not created equal. And Sichuan Pavilion in Port Chester is serving Chinese fare thats decidedly a cut above, while still keeping it all in the family.
From the outside, Sichuan Pavilion keeps a low profile. But the unassuming storefront on Westchester Avenue belies the culinary artistry thats happening within. As you enter, large mirrored Chinese characters greet you on your left. Translated, they read Tasteful Garden, phrasing far more indicative of what curious diners will find inside.
On any given day, youll be greeted by owner and manager Ricky Chan. The restaurant has been in his family for 22 years. Ive been working in restaurants since I was 13-years-old, explains Chan. After taking a hiatus to pursue a career in finance, he returned to the family restaurant after his fathers death.
Since 2010, he has been working to bring the best of his two native cultures together to create a unique dining experience thats satisfying customers in two states. I have a fully Americanized background that Im bringing to this, says Chan. This background is complemented beautifully by the work in the kitchen of Wei Yin, head chef at Sichuan Pavilion.
We make almost everything in-house, says Chan. We do side orders, too, like fried rice and lo mein. Certainly something you dont see at many Chinese restaurants. Thats nice for when you want to try a few different things, or when you want a smaller portion for the kids, says Chan, his Western sensibilities on display.
And with our new menu, I really tried to make some important changes. Chan has paired down the menu, striking a balance between traditional favorites and new, modern incarnations of dishes you may not have tried previously. And according to Chan, the quality of the ingredients are paramount.
"We have a very loyal clientele," says Chan. "They come from all over. We get people from Mamaroneck, Greenwich and even Ridgefield. And we do corporate catering up to Stamford and Norwalk."
On the day I dined with Chan, he walked me through each dish, carefully detailing the time and thought put into what I was eating.
The classic pork dumplings are lightly pan fried; the sturdy dough standing up to a little time in the skillet, forming a lightly crispy pocket around the juicy, tender pork inside. They pair beautifully with the homemade vinegar-based dumpling sauce or the rich, red and spicy chili sauce. We even make our own duck sauce, laughs Chan as I slather a little more of the chili sauce on my dumpling. The heat of the sauce is just right, and I have to stop myself from dipping my fingers directly into the dish.
The pork lo mein is a playful medley of flavors, the fresh, crunchy vegetables popping against pork prepared in a light, sweet barbecue sauce. The eggplant with garlic sauce is a reliably traditional dish, the eggplant so soft it will melt in your mouth. I tell my Italian customers that Ill put that up against and eggplant parm any day, laughs Chan.
For fans of Americanized Chinese dishes, Chan offers a twist on the popular General Tsos Chicken. I call this General Chans Chicken, after myself, he smiles. Unless people ask for something different, we make this dish with dark meat chicken. Thats because the dark meat fries better and holds its shape and the batter better. The chicken is crisp in the not-too-spicy sauce, and the crunch factor is further complemented by pieces of crisp red pepper and celery.
One of the standout dishes, though, is definitely the Shanghai Surf & Turf, a combination of filet mignon cubes and sea scallops, stir fried with broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas in a black pepper sauce.
Filet mignon in a black pepper sauce is always delicious, Chan says. And I always think of sea scallops as a blank canvas. In this dish they take on the black pepper flavoring really nicely. And against the backdrop of the crispy pop of the sugar snap peas, the filet really stands out.
For spring, Chan is offering a tasting menu. "I have a lot of little plates on there, a lot of dishes that people might be curious about, but don't want to commit to full portions. Things like jellyfish and suckling pig or oxtail stew."
Sichuan Pavilion also offers take out orders, as well as corporate catering. But after my visit, I think theres no question that enjoying a meal with your family at the Chan family restaurant, is required eating.
Sichuan Pavilion is located at 480 Westchester Ave. in Port Chester, N.Y.
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