I'm so naive, I though there were good Chinese restaurants in downtown Toronto. Lots of them. Not so, according to a Chinese acquaintance who has recently arrived here from Shangahi. To prove it, we made the trip to the Red Chili Sichaun Restaurant in Mississauga.
Also known by its Chinese name, Ba Shu Ren Jia, this is the sister branch of its better known location in North York. The food was stellar.
No Sichaun meal is complete without Fried Chicken in Chili Oil: very hot for those that like it that way (including me!) and aesthetically gorgeous, succulent chicken pieces all but invisible for the riot of dried red chili's its served with. Also chili saturated is the Mapo Tofu, fondly referred to by my friend as the Exxon Valdez (after the notorious Alaskan oil spill) As the moniker suggests - its very oily! - but no less delicious for that.
To cool your palette try the delicate pea shoots with garlic, dry sauteed bitter melon or the onion pancake - and of course a glass or two of cold Tsingtao beer.
All in all: authentic, a bit of a trip, but oh so worth it.