The strangest thing I ate this week: Grand Sichuan, NYC

Pig intestines at Grand Sichuan were a lovely treat.  Fried crispy, like cracklins, with a nice porky flavor.  I have to say that for the money, there were a lot of intestines.  Not that I have any barometer for such a thing.  It just seemed like a lot.

Served with vegetables in a spicy sichuan pepper-kicked sauce.  Highly recommended.

Grand Sichuan (the one on 2nd ave and 55th, which I'm preferring over the other branches) is my second favorite Chinese restaurant in NY.  The first is Wu Liang Ye (the Lexington Ave branch).  It's tough to even rate them though with that fine a detail.   But if I had to, I'd compare and contrast like this:

• GS has at any given moment only 2 or 3 different white wines, and sometimes nothing but Chardonnay.  WLY has about 5 or 6.  Neither have very interesting or Chinese food-appropriate wines to my mind. 
• GS has a decent-enough pinot blanc (when they have it), which is more than I can say for WLY.
• GS has a much larger menu than WLY. 
• GS's much larger menu can be overwhelming. 
• WLY has much better dan-dan noodle.
• GS's dishes often come swimming in red oil and you can order several dishes that effectively taste the same if you're not careful (I'm not careful). 
• GS has freshly-killed chicken "not refrigerated long time", which has an interesting texture.  No such chicken at WLY.

Thank goodness they both exist.

I wasn't careful with the below oil-laden and similar-tasting dishes

Comments

[Karen]

Toobad it's too far from my office. I'm looking for a change of pace from Ollie's Noodle Shop...the place my 5 asian associates always choose.

I do love their roasted chicken or duck and the sauteed spinach, though.

[tommyeats]

Karen, i'm no stalker, nor do i concern myself with others lives, but iirc, based on what you've said in the past, 39th and lex isn't far from your office, which is where WYL is. GO.

[karen]

No, you are right; that's not too far. I was thinking 55th like Grand Sechuan.
OK, let's see if I can pursuade them..So what would you recommend if we do go?

[tommyeats]

karen, if you go to WLY, order some of the stuff i mention here: http://www.tommyeats.com/tommyeats/2006/06/weekend_wrapup_.html

they also have a spicy shrimp with cucumber dish. i always love cucumber in spicy food.