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| - I have been to Ichiban more than 10 times since it first opened ~ 2 years ago. When I first heard of their name, I thought it's a Japanese restaurant. But make no mistake, Ichiban serves up authentic Sze Chuan food. Their menu and taste are actually pretty similar to Fugu, but since Ichiban opened I frequent Ichiban so much more because parking is so much easier right in front of the restaurant itself or along one of the streets nearby (free in the evenings and weekends!).
I have tried (and recommend) their spicy fish dishes. There are a couple of those in the menu. Together with the hot pot series (kidneys, intestines, fish and lamb). The claypot beef is a good dish too, it has smooth and tender pieces of beef with a medley of mushrooms in a nice stew. If you feel like taking a break from the meat (why would you), their Japanese style tofu is a nice choice, with bits of seafood on a plate of gently fried tofu rounds.
Traditional Sze Chuan dishes are generally hot, spicy and oily. I like the oily part the least, and often find myself using their generous portion of rice to soak up the oil instead. Even though the food portions are great, they can get pretty pricey. An appetizer plus two main dishes can easily add up to about 30 or more for a party of two. It's also an excellent idea to go in larger groups, so you can order and try out more dishes on your visit. It's afterall a Chinese style restaurant, so ordering a number of dishes to share around the table is common tradition.
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