Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 13 and Version 9 of Sichuan Restaurant, W3 6BY

Version 13 Version 9
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Previously a Sichuan restaurant in [[Locale Acton|Acton]], now closed.
Sichuan restaurant in [[Locale Acton|Acton]]. Takeaway is available, and you can order online [http://hungryhouse.co.uk/chuan via Hungry House].
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As of June 2013, [http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/ Su-Lin] reports: "Saw some activity in the now closed restaurant a couple nights ago but they may just be cleaning it out. No idea what the site will become — probably yet another bloody estate agents."
[[bob]] and Jack visited on a Friday lunchtime in January 2009. We arrived just as they were opening at 12:30pm, and we were still the only customers by the time we left at 1:10pm or so. [[bob]] had the spicy beef in a pot with chillies (aka water-cooked beef; &pound;8.80) <small>[http://flickr.com/photos/rjw1/3219451687/ photo]</small>, which had good-quality beef in a subtle blend of chillies and Szechuan pepper. The portion really was quite large. I would have preferred it with more chillies, but when we talked to our waitress afterwards she told us they're happy to add more if you ask. Plain noodles with bean sprouts were fine. Jack had double-cooked pork Sichuan style (&pound;6.80) <small>[http://flickr.com/photos/rjw1/3220321628/ photo]</small>. This was very good; the pork was very bacony and the sauce it was in was quite good as well. Chinese tea was &pound;1 per person.
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The information below is retained for historical purposes.

<div class="old_info">
Sichuan restaurant in [[Locale Acton|Acton]], also known as Chuan. Interestingly, its Chinese name is &#24605;&#24029;, which is pronounced exactly the same as &#22235;&#24029; (S&igrave;chu&#257;n) but has a different meaning &#8212; perhaps something like "river of memory" (or, to borrow a pun from [http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.com/ Mr Noodles], "stream of consciousness").

They also do takeaway, and you can order online [http://hungryhouse.co.uk/chuan via Hungry House]. Unlike many other places that do online ordering, the online menu actually includes the more interesting dishes such as stewed pig trotters, and pork tripe in chilli oil.

[[bob]] and Jack visited on a Friday lunchtime in January 2009. We arrived just as they were opening at 12:30pm, and we were still the only customers by the time we left at 1:10pm or so. Spicy beef in a pot with chillies (&#27700;&#29038;&#29275;&#32905;/shu&#464; zh&#468; ni&uacute; r&ograve;u/water-cooked beef; &pound;8.80) <small>[http://flickr.com/photos/rjw1/3219451687/ photo]</small> had good-quality beef in a subtle blend of chillies and Szechuan pepper. The portion really was quite large. [[bob]] would have preferred it with more chillies, but when we talked to our waitress afterwards she told us they're happy to add more if you ask. Double-cooked pork Sichuan style (&#23478;&#37129;&#22238;&#37707;&#32905;/ji&#257; xi&#257;ng hu&iacute; gu&#333; r&ograve;u; &pound;6.80) <small>[http://flickr.com/photos/rjw1/3220321628/ photo]</small> was very good; the pork was very bacony and the sauce it was in was quite good as well. Plain noodles with bean sprouts were fine. Chinese tea was &pound;1 per person.

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Sauteed sweetcorn with salted egg yolk (&#37329;&#27801;&#29577;&#31859;&#31881;/j&#299;n sh&#257; y&ugrave; m&#464; f&#283;n; &pound;6.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466357423/ photo]</small> was beautifully crunchy and flavourful, and the starch coating (cornflour? rice flour?) stayed nicely crispy. Chicken with chillies (&#36771;&#23376;&#38622;/l&agrave; zi j&#299;; &pound;8.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466362683/ photo]</small> was really very good, with the chicken left on the bone for extra flavour, while Dongpo pork (&#26481;&#22369;&#32905;/d&#333;ng p&#333; r&ograve;u; &pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466364819/ photo]</small> was tender and tasty. Dan dan noodles (&#25812;&#25812;&#40629;/d&agrave;n d&agrave; mi&agrave;n; &pound;5.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466372503/ photo]</small> were also good, made with hand-pulled noodles (&#25289;&#40629;/l&#257; mi&agrave;n). Sour and spicy shredded potato (&pound;6.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466381027/ photo]</small> was rather nice, with well-judged cooking of the potato shreds (which should be slightly undercooked to Western tastes).
Sauteed sweetcorn with salted egg yolk (&pound;6.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466357423/ photo]</small> was beautifully crunchy and flavourful, and the rice flour coating stayed nicely crispy. Chicken with chillies (&pound;8.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466362683/ photo]</small> was really very good, with the chicken left on the bone for extra flavour, while Dongpo pork (&pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466364819/ photo]</small> was tender and tasty. Dan dan noodles (&pound;5.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466372503/ photo]</small> were also good, made with hand-pulled noodles (la mian). Sour and spicy shredded potato (&pound;6.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466381027/ photo]</small> was rather nice, with well-judged cooking of the potato shreds (which should be slightly undercooked to Western tastes).
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Sweet and sour eggplant dragon (&pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466383851/ photo]</small> showcased a spectacular presentation, and although the flavour was a little sweet for some of our tastes, this is not to be unexpected in a sweet and sour dish. Dry-fried green beans (&#20094;&#29048;&#22235;&#23395;&#35910;/g&#257;n bi&#257;n s&igrave; j&igrave; d&ograve;u; &pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466367167/ photo]</small> were liked by most of our party, though Kake felt they would have been better made with younger beans. As on our previous visit, the spicy beef in a pot with chillies (&#27700;&#29038;&#29275;&#32905;/shu&#464; zh&#468; ni&uacute; r&ograve;u; &pound;8.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466369853/ photo]</small> was decent enough, with nicely tender beef. Baby cuttlefish in a spicy sauce (&#27873;&#26898;&#22696;&#39770;&#20180;/p&agrave;o ji&#257;o m&ograve; y&uacute; zi; &pound;12.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466360135/ photo]</small> were OK, though nothing special. Fried minced pork with vermicelli (&#34718;&#34811;&#19978;&#27193;/m&#462; y&#464; sh&agrave;ng sh&agrave;u/ants climbing a tree; &pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4467152850/ photo]</small> was disappointing, with the flavour heavily dominated by soy sauce.
Sweet and sour eggplant dragon (&pound;9.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466383851/ photo]</small> showcased a spectacular presentation, and although the flavour was a little sweet for some of our tastes, this is not to be unexpected in a sweet and sour dish. Dry-fried green beans (&pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466367167/ photo]</small> were liked by most of our party, though Kake felt they would have been better made with younger beans. Water-boiled beef (&pound;8.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466369853/ photo]</small> was decent enough, with nicely tender beef. Baby cuttlefish in a spicy sauce (&pound;12.80) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4466360135/ photo]</small> were OK, though nothing special. Fried minced pork with vermicelli (aka ants climbing a tree; &pound;6.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55935853@N00/4467152850/ photo]</small> was disappointing, with the flavour heavily dominated by soy sauce.
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* [http://web.archive.org/web/20120202081910/http://www.dimsum.co.uk/food/sichuan-invasion.html dimsum.co.uk article]
* [http://www.dimsum.co.uk/food/sichuan-invasion.html dimsum.co.uk article]
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* [http://eatlovenoodles.blogspot.com/2010/04/dinner-sichuan-restaurant-sichuan.html Eat Noodles Love Noodles review] (same occasion as one of our visits)
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</div>
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category='Featured Article,Now Closed'
edit_type='Normal edit'
category='Chinese Food,Restaurants,Sichuan Food,Takeaway'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
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host='81.187.166.218'
hours_text=''
major_change='1'
host='161.74.11.25'
hours_text='12:30pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm Mon; closed Tue; 12:30pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm Wed-Sun'
latitude='51.507927'
locale='Acton,W3'
longitude='-0.267991'
major_change='0'
== Line 49 == == Line 41 ==
opening_hours_text=''
phone=''
postcode=''
summary='Now closed, was a Sichuan restaurant in Acton.' summary='Sichuan restaurant in Acton.'
opening_hours_text='12:30pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm Mon; closed Tue; 12:30pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm Wed-Sun'
os_x='520187'
os_y='180253'
phone='020 8992 9473'
summary='Now closed, was a Sichuan restaurant in Acton.' postcode='W3 6BY'
summary='Sichuan restaurant in Acton.'

Sichuan restaurant in Acton. Takeaway is available, and you can order online via Hungry House.

bob and Jack visited on a Friday lunchtime in January 2009. We arrived just as they were opening at 12:30pm, and we were still the only customers by the time we left at 1:10pm or so. bob had the spicy beef in a pot with chillies (aka water-cooked beef; £8.80) photo, which had good-quality beef in a subtle blend of chillies and Szechuan pepper. The portion really was quite large. I would have preferred it with more chillies, but when we talked to our waitress afterwards she told us they're happy to add more if you ask. Plain noodles with bean sprouts were fine. Jack had double-cooked pork Sichuan style (£6.80) photo. This was very good; the pork was very bacony and the sauce it was in was quite good as well. Chinese tea was £1 per person.

Kake and Ewan visited a year later, on a Wednesday evening in March 2010, as part of a group of seven. We'd pre-booked, and were seated around a large table in the basement dining room (the rest of the place remained empty during our visit). We left most of the ordering to Su-Lin, who's been here several times before; she chose us a range of dishes from the "chef's specials" photo and "Sichuan-style dishes" photo sections of the menu .

Sauteed sweetcorn with salted egg yolk (£6.80) photo was beautifully crunchy and flavourful, and the rice flour coating stayed nicely crispy. Chicken with chillies (£8.80) photo was really very good, with the chicken left on the bone for extra flavour, while Dongpo pork (£9.80) photo was tender and tasty. Dan dan noodles (£5.80) photo were also good, made with hand-pulled noodles (la mian). Sour and spicy shredded potato (£6.80) photo was rather nice, with well-judged cooking of the potato shreds (which should be slightly undercooked to Western tastes).

Sweet and sour eggplant dragon (£9.80) photo showcased a spectacular presentation, and although the flavour was a little sweet for some of our tastes, this is not to be unexpected in a sweet and sour dish. Dry-fried green beans (£6.50) photo were liked by most of our party, though Kake felt they would have been better made with younger beans. Water-boiled beef (£8.80) photo was decent enough, with nicely tender beef. Baby cuttlefish in a spicy sauce (£12.80) photo were OK, though nothing special. Fried minced pork with vermicelli (aka ants climbing a tree; £6.50) photo was disappointing, with the flavour heavily dominated by soy sauce.

Service was friendly and sweet, if a little confused at times (they didn't have one of the wines we ordered, but instead of telling us this just brought us something completely different). A 10% service charge was added to the bill.

Kake's verdict: I'd probably come back if I was planning to be in the area, though I don't know if I'd make a special journey since there are quite a few Sichuan restaurants in London now.

bob's verdict: The menu has some interesting things like stewed pig's trotters, pork tripe, and tongue. I shall have to go back and investigate. It was certainly worth the 15 minute bus ride from Chiswick.

See also:

Last visited by Kake, Ewan, Mr Noodles, Bellaphon, Su-Lin, James, and Marna, March 2010.

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