Oh, Szechuan Garden, how I love you. My mom and dad went on their first date here 25 years ago. When my vegetarian boyfriend finally moved to Cleveland, I took him here too.
Don't let the sketchy outside fool you, inside is a Chinese food lovers paradise. They have two distinct menus, one with as many vegetarian and vegan friendly versions of food as you could possibly imagine, and one that is more traditional. Growing up, we always got the Szechuan Duck and I would take it to elementary school as leftover lunch like a huge, foreign weirdo kid. Which I absolutely was.
Even today, this food is amazing. It doesn't leave you feeling sick and slimy like some other Chinese food, and it genuinely fills you up. The portions are huge, the veggies are fresh and there is never a wait for a table.
I hope this place never ever closes.