Szechwan Garden - Revisit

I met my friend @wibia for another birthday lunch. We both like Szechwan Garden, and I have been itching to get back there since the last time I went and had the salt and pepper squid. I said then that I really wanted to try the salt and pepper fish (#115 on the menu, $15.95) so this time I did.  We also had the shredded roast duck with pan-fried rice noodles off of the lunch menu (the one on the back of the dim sum menu) ($4.95). I also had a taste of his hot and sour soup.

So, I was pretty right about being excited to try the salt and pepper fried fish. I had enjoyed the very peppery (and salty) seasoning on the squid before, but the squid itself was too chewy for me. The fish was thin and tender and much more appealing (and I like squid when it’s tender). I love the little crumbles of toasty garlic on top of the fish. The pieces with those on top were the best—they gave it an added nutty flavor. The fish was a thin white fish—maybe tilapia? They give you a lot, particularly since there is no veggies or anything with it, so I would recommend sharing it with others and/or with a dish heavier on veggies. They do give you a side of rice to go along with it.

The noodle dish we also shared is one of @wibia’s favorite things at Szechwan Garden I think. I’ve seen him order it a couple of times. It’s a nice dish as well—the super thin rice noodles are sautéed with bits of the roasted duck, egg, scallions and a few pieces of red pepper. It’s a better accompaniment to the fish than rice I think, just because the noodles have more going on, and add a bit of moisture to an otherwise kind of of dry meal. I really liked the bit of egg of course, and the scallions added some flavor and texture to the dish. We did add some soy to it, which brought the flavors out even more.

The quick bite of the hot and sour soup was tasty too—had the right balance of spicy and sour and nice bits of tofu and mushrooms and egg. My favorite thing—the broth isn’t gelatinous like some can be.

The menu here is huge, so I am pretty sure there is something on there for just about everyone. It would be fun for someone to start a blog and eat their way through that menu. Now that would be a feat.

Szechwan Garden

3649 Lafayette Road

Indy 46222

317/328-2888