Restaurant Review: Chengdu 1 Is Not For The Faint of Heart

Some friends took me to this very plain-looking restaurant in a strip mall on a recent Tuesday evening and I have not stopped thinking about the authentic Szechuan cuisine ever since. I love Chinese food and go out for it quite often. And I like my food spicy and do enjoy Szechuan cuisine. But after eating at this establishment, Chengdu 1 in Cedar Grove, I discovered a very important ingredient—Szechuan peppers.

They're actually a reddish-brown fruit and not a pepper, one of the ingredients in five spice powder. The berry has a lemony flavor and is famous for its numbing effect on the tongue. The good thing about eating the dishes at Chengdu is that the spice in the dishes doesn't linger in one's mouth. Once you have a few bites, the spice hits your mouth briefly and dissipates soon after—and you are ready for the next few bites.

Upon arrival at Chengdu, we were pleased to find that the place was not very crowded. As a result, chef/owner Liu Xiu Fang had time to cook us all sorts of tasty dishes.

We were seated at a round table with a lazy Susan in the middle, which is perfect for such family-style meals. There were two bowls placed in the middle of the table—marinated and pickled broccoli and some peanuts. The broccoli, drenched in a spicy mixture and crunchy to the touch, was a good start to the evening. I was told not everyone gets these snacks—you have to ask for them.

We opened a bottle of Riesling and started ordering. It was my first time at Chengdu and I was happy to just sit and let others order for me. The first thing to come my way was Ants Climbing The Tree ($9.95), a mixture of rice noodles, ground pork, and Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) topped with the Szechuan peppers and peanuts. I loved the mixture of soft noodles with the crunchy greens. Next were Spicy Baby Wontons ($5.25), swimming in an oil-based sauce that was spicy, sweet, and very addicting. My only concern was all the oil floating on top. Smoothie Mushrooms ($9.55) came next—small, soft, silky-black mushrooms (directly shipped from China) paired with crunchy bok choy. The name sounds strange but the dish was very flavorful.

A huge platter of Hot and Spicy Jumbo Prawns ($16.95) followed, a beautiful plate filled with crispy, fiery shrimp with a salad of spicy dried red peppers, celery, and the peppercorns in the middle. We ate the shrimp with the shell and stayed away from the pepper salad. Hot and Spicy Rabbit ($14.95) came our way next. Again, it was quite spicy with green and red peppers accompanied by the Szechuan peppers. The tender rabbit pieces were very flavorful but I did need quite a bit of white wine to get through this dish. This particular one was good but not outstanding.

Speaking of outstanding, one of the side dishes, Potatoes with Green Peppers ($9.95), was a surprise for me—I have never seen a potato dish in a Chinese restaurant before. This one was al dente shreds of potatoes, with a mild sesame oil-like flavor. Another surprise was the Spicy Lamb with Special Pepper Sauce ($13.95). The crisp lamb pieces were coated with a spice mixture including cumin. It tasted almost Indian in flavor but also had peppercorns, onions, and celery. It was spicy but not overwhelming to the palate. My stomach was getting full but my palate was still looking forward to a few more dishes.

Double Cooked Pork ($11.95) did not disappoint—pieces of pork belly with black beans, onions, and peppers with tiny gelatinous rice cakes mixed into the dish. Kung Pao Chicken Ding ($11.95) included your typical peanuts but also had Chinese black vinegar and ginger. The parade of food continued with Sauteed String Beans ($9.55), a platter filled with bright green beans mixed with fiery red dried peppers. The beans were delicious but I again stayed away from the peppers.

My stomach and palate were quite done at this point but two more dishes were still on the way. Ma Po Tofu ($9.95) looked very attractive in a tangy, smoky black bean sauce with ground pork. My only concern was—yet again—the oil floating on top.

Last but certainly not least was a double-cooked fish. Tender pieces of sea bass were fried to perfection and seasoned unbelievably, by far, my favorite dish of the evening. I treated it as dessert—that is how good it was. I complimented the chef and wondered in my mind how he made this dish happen with such intense flavors.

The whole experience was amazing. I can't wait to go back with my family. It is a meal my waistline cannot afford very often but it is certainly the most flavorful meal I have had in a long time.

Try Chengdu 1 next time you are looking for a spicy adventure and look out for an adorable 4-year-old girl named Ivy running around with a big smile (the owner's daughter).

Chengdu
189 Pompton Ave, Cedar Grove, New Jersey 07009
973-239-7726