| rev:text
| - Even though I'm Chinese American, I'm not that bad of a "Chinese Food" snob. I've eaten my share of "bad" Chinese Food at buffets, cafeterias, and even the garbage I try to make at home. Sometimes, eating out is all about "MPD" -- Mass Per Dollar -- where can I fill my belly the most by paying the least.
Little Szechuan is the closet neighborhood Chinese restaurant, however I've been too scared to eat here. Why? From the outside, it looks like a porn shop. (Can I say that here?) It is a freestanding nondescript white brick building with all the windows blacked out, and no menu posted at the door. I like to look thru the windows before entering a place, so I at least know what I'm getting myself into.
The only identifying thing about the outside of the restaurant is their sign. They just installed a new sign, which looks exactly like the old sign, but different color. But both signs exclaimed, "Open since 1976." Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Most Chinese restaurants are family owned and operated, with high staff turnover rates. If you have a successful restaurant, you may move on to Bigger and Better things, fix up your old place, or sell your business to someone else. Is this porn shop Chinese Restaurant circa 1970s some hidden Tempe gem of an institution? And what does it mean that only one other Yelper has reviewed this restaurant in its 30 year history?
I finally convinced a friend to go with me. He told me to get used to the porn shop aesthetics, because there are plenty of other places in AZ that look like this. Its not about privacy, he assured me, its about that gosh darn summer Sun.
Thus, I was comforted with the inside of the building, because it had the look and feel of the Chinese Restaurants I know and love in the SF Bay Area. 1970s wood paneled walls, "Orientalized" promotional knicknacks from Bud or Tsingtao, and other Asian artwork. I chatted with the friendly server, who informed me that she moved to AZ from China to attend ASU in the early 1970s, and eventually opened the restaurant after graduating. Indeed, there was history in this restaurant and on the walls. The menu had a lot of choices, including lunch specials. Did we find a hidden gem?
Our first dish, Mu Shu Vegetables were great, so we remained hopeful for our main dishes. Then, our hopes were dashed.
The Hunan Beef was spicy (actually, too spicy for me, but I'm a wimp), but the sauce had a weird texture, flavor, and color. Their House Special Chow Mein was very unspecial, and I forgot what was wrong with the homemade dumplings. Needless to say, I did not finish my dinner nor did I bring leftovers home.
What a rollercoaster!
--Looks bad from outside
--Looks nicer inside
--Food terrible
--Service nice and friendly.
The restaurant seems to have regular customers, and I applaud them. Maybe the restaurant makes some other dishes really great, or they like the ambiance, or whatever. I may try one of their lunch rice plates someday if I'm desperate, but alas, I'm still hunting for the best hole-in-the-wall Tempe Chinese Restaurant.
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