Sichuan Jin River
410 Hungerford Dr.
Rockville, MD 20850
240-403-7351
http://www.scjinriver.com/
I've never been to China. Chances are I'll never get there. However, when I think of authentic Chinese food this is one of the restaurants I think of. It's in the same category as Joe's Noodle House in Rockville.
The decor is nothing to write home about. If you show up a little early for lunch there's a strong possibility that you will find the staff assisting with the daily vegetable prep on one of the tables in the dining room. The chairs, booths and tables are 70's chic. However, this isn't why you come here.
You come for the food.
This is the seasoned, shredded pig ear appetizer. It's not really shredded so much as shaved. The seasoning is a ginger-soy affair much like you'd expect in a seaweed salad. The pork itself doesn't have much flavor, but it is definitely interesting.
The Won ton soup my dining companion ordered was the best example of the dish I've ever tasted. Rich, flavorful stock with a sheen of oil droplets, fresh greens, and plump, tender won tons. I generally don't order won ton soup, but this is good enough to bring me back.
This dish is called Fiery Soup with Pork.
It is a bowl filled with scallions, various peppers, and pork. It is absolutely alive with flavor. Not enough heat to kill you, but I was definitely reaching for the refills on the water. Momma that was good! If you are a fan of Sichuan heat, you have to give this a try.
For the less adventurous they do have standard Americanized-Chinese dishes, but you can get that stuff anywhere. Go big at this restaurant. There are so many esoteric offerings on the menu you could likely eat here every week for a year and not try them all.
Thanks for reading! Questions and comments always appreciated.
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