When it was announced that our March Foodies gathering would be at Chuan Shabu I was excited because I had been looking forward to trying Wilson Wang’s (Baba Sushi, Korzara) newest restaurant but had not had a chance to get there yet.
The menu, which has both Chinese hot pots and more traditional Szechuan dishes is extensive. Our “end of the table” decided to share some appetizers and order our food as a group.
We started with crab rangoons and scallion pancakes. While I did not indulge in the rangoons, they seemed to be very well received. The scallion pancakes, served with a variety of crushed jalapenos, scallions, garlic and soy sauce were delightful, lightly fried creations with a lot of flavor and texture. Both were served in very plentiful portions.
Next came our hot pots, Tom Yum and Satay broth with Kobe beef, chicken, shrimp dumplings, cod and a variety of veggies and noodles to cook. I focused on the Tom Yum, spicy but not overpowering with udon noodles and the Kobe beef and shrimp dumplings. The broth was outstanding, with hints of crushed red peppers, and fragrant spices. The thinly sliced beef cooked instantaneously in the boiling hot pot and took on the flavor of the broth. I added a few crushed jalapenos to add a little heat. The shrimp dumplings, which stayed moist and tender after cooking, were filled with shrimp and spices and were enjoyed with the richly flavored and bold dipping sauces. Both were outstanding.
The nicely designed space features a sleek, contemporary and open design which, when combined with the communal dining concept made our meal very enjoyable. And of course, Wilson Wang’s enthusiastic personality makes dining at any of his restaurants a fun experience.
