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| - The poor Szechwan peppercorn used to get a bad wrap. For the unfamiliar its not even related to the black peppercorn, for the familiar its spice properties can be quite magical. Actually the dried berry husk from the prickly ash tree, the USDA banned the peppercorn from 1968-2006. The peppercorn was seen as a hazard due to the potential of carrying citrus canker, a harmful bacteria to citrus crops. The process of heating them to 160 degrees kills any possible bacteria thus lifting the ban. Szechwan Palace, located in the Chinese Cultural Center, celebrates this daily. If you've ever tasted such dishes as Ma Po Tofu or Kung Poa Chicken, then you've had Szechwan cooking before.
The funny thing about these peppercorns is that they're not even really that spicy. At first the flavor might have a certain peppery pungency that gives way to more of a citrus like aftertaste. Though here's the kicker, as you eat them you might feel your tongue start to tingle then eventually go slightly numb. This sensation is strangely addictive, like getting a shot of Novocain; it might just leave you drooling over your plate.
For the unadventurous Szechwan Palace does serve your standard type Chin-American food like egg rolls and pork fried rice, but this isn't a strong point. Id skip those items and go right for the more unique dishes, be sure to ask for the full menu rather than the standard "best of" version.
Being a fan of offal and other not so famous cuts of beef, I ordered up the #3 Beef Tendon in Spicy Sauce ($6.95). Fresh cilantro and chewy slices of tendon are mixed with peppercorn oil were a hit. I know that dish isn't for everyone but trust me, its tasty. By contrast the #9 Spicy Cucumber ($3.95) is a little more approachable with cool pieces of raw cucumber seasoned with peppercorns and dried chilies.
There are a slew of dishes titled "water boiled" though none that I have tried seem to be in water. Instead you get a luxurious sauce filled with peppercorns, vegetables and meat or fish. This outing included the #18 Water Boiled Beef ($9.95), fork tender strips of beef in a velvety pepper spiked sauce made my tongue sparkle then go numb. Like I said, these peppercorns are magical.
My absolute favorite dish was the #98 Rice Cake ($7.95). The thin chewy disks of rice noodles, ground pork and cabbage were bathed in a slightly sweet and smoky sauce was craveable.
When ordering the Special Cumin Lamb with Bone ($11.95), Id venture to say that they use the word lamb loosely. The difference between a lamb and a sheep is age and this directly reflects the flavor of the meat. The younger lamb is sweet and tender where sheep aka mutton tends to be extremely gamy and tough, these were definitely the later. No amount of fragrant cumin could cover the extreme gaminess of the meat. This may have been isolated since on a previous visit the dish was exceptional.
With over 100 choices on the menu plus daily specials, Szechwan Palace brings a whole new level of spice, even if it does numb your tongue.
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