Sichuan Province

Grand Szechuan's Chengdu dumplings: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 15

The problem with strip malls is that they all look the same - which might also be what makes them so appealing. It's impossible to judge the book by the familiar cover, so you've got to go inside where there might be a food find or a dinner disaster.  Inside one particular strip in Bloomington, ... More >>

Top 10 takeout restaurants in the Twin Cities

See also: Top 10 Indian restaurants in the Twin Cities Top 10 farmers markets in the Twin Cities Top 10 street eats in the Twin Cities There's no shame in not wanting to cook. With a frantic pace of life, it's hard to carve out the time and energy to hit the grocery store and slog through the dirty ... More >>

Harriet Brasserie: A first look

The Linden Hills neighborhood is getting another  fantastic neighborhood cafe that utilizes some of the quirky, beautiful architecture and fresh, local food. The new Harriet Brassiere specializes in breakfast and opened recently in the former Cafe Twenty Eight space. We stopped by to check out ... More >>

Little Szechuan named among 50 best Chinese restaurants in America

​Last week CNN's travel-focused site CNNGo confirmed what City Pages readers and critics have  known for years when it named Little Szechuan in St. Paul among the 50 best Chinese restaurants in America.

Month in Review: Open, Closed, Coming Soon January 2012

​NOW OPENColossal Cafe(2315 Como Ave, St. Paul)Rosa Mexicano (City Pages Review)(609 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)Little Szechuan (City Pages Review)(5377 West 16th St., St. Louis Park)West Bank Diner(324 Cedar Ave S. Minneapolis)Five Guys Burgers and Fries(8360 3rd St N., Oakdale)Eat Street Pi ... More >>

Little Szechuan brings fiery Chinese to St. Louis Park

New location ups the ante when it comes to decor

Top 5 scariest foods you'll love to eat

I'll have what she's having​You don't have to be Andrew Zimmern to discover that funky foods can also be delicious. Around town we have all matter of offal (and potentially awful) dishes that not only taste great but are often served against a backdrop of fine dining.  In honor of Halloween, ... More >>

Jorge Guzman of Solera: Chef Chat, Part 3 [RECIPE]

​This week we've been chatting with chef Jorge Guzman, executive chef at Solera. Thus far we've covered his growing years and career. (Get caught up here and here). Today we wrap up our conversation talking about what really matters: food--Spanish food, Mexican food, comfort food, and shrimp heads ... More >>

Month in Review: Open, Closed, Coming Soon August '11

Several new outposts for popular Asian eateries opened this month.​NOW OPEN Viva Brazil Little Szechuan St. Louis Park Osaka Golden Valley Grand Szechuan Plymouth Rare Steak and Sushi Blue Ox Coffee (38th & Chicago Ave.) Asia Bistro Catalina's, Minneapolis

Little Szechuan now open in West End

Danielle LenzLittle Szechuan opens a second location!​West side Chinese food lovers rejoice! A new branch of St. Paul's famed Little Szechuan opened yesterday in St. Louis Park's West End, next to Cooper Irish Pub. The new digs have an upscale feel to match the other West End restaurants and t ... More >>

Grand Szechuan opens second location in Plymouth

A new Szechuan in the 'burbs​When the former chef at Little Szechuan decamped to Bloomington's Grand Szechuan in 2009, his decision caught the attention of the Twin Cities Chinese-language publications and the foodie press: Chef Luo Guanghe left the St. Paul stalwart and took several staff members ... More >>

Little Szechuan coming soon to West End

​If you love Little Szechuan but can't make it to St. Paul as often as you'd like, here's some good news: The popular eatery is opening a second location at The Shops at West End in St. Louis Park. The new restaurant will be located on the corner of 16th St. and Park Place Blvd., adjacent to ... More >>

Patisserie Margo's Zuppa Englese Torte: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 28

A perfect 10 in taste and looks...​The Zuppa Englese torte at Patisserie Margo has a gorgeous multilayered construction that amazes the eyes and seems more precise and perfect than the original Italian treat. When translated, it means English soup, which one theory says came about when Italian che ... More >>

Dolsot Bibimbap at Dong Yang Oriental Food: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 31

Kei TerauchiDolsot bibimbop: the food pyramid in a stone pot​It may be true that fast food provides you the most calories per dollar. But you are paying for processed fat and starch flavored to taste acceptable to the tolerant palate. If you are looking to fill up on healthy and full-flavored ... More >>

Piccolo's scrambled eggs with pigs' feet: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 32

The elegance of eggs​Doug Flicker has a reputation as one of the best, if not the best, chefs in town. Those who know food, like other chefs and serious food followers, watch his every move. He's earned that respect by cooking his food his way, even if it might not appear to be what's popular with ... More >>

Travail's fried chicken: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 34

​Even those who have lived in New Orleans for decades, where fried chicken is an art form, might find themselves losing years of their lives trying to prepare the dish at home, always feeling some sort of disappointment at the results. It's not always easy to pinpoint what is wrong. Was the batter ... More >>

Urban Eatery's Asian pork sliders: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 37

Take that, White Castle!​To think that we once satisfied our late-night snacking urges with the mushy blandness of the White Castle slyder, a meal that's perfectly content to be seasoned with nothing more than steamed onions. Sure, there's comfort to be found in the squishy buns and flat mea ... More >>

Isles Bun & Coffee's Puppy Dog Tail: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 38

Kei TerauchiFollow the finger for yummy tails​The morning commute is a struggle. With my hair still damp and stomach empty, I head out to catch the bus at Uptown Transit Station. As I sleepily walk down on Hennepin, a sweet and inviting aroma takes hold of all my senses. I look up and see a ... More >>

Szechuan Spice's Chicken with Double Chili Pepper: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 41

Mo PerryFiery goodness to make your tongue tingle​There is something other-worldly about Szechuan Spice's chicken with double chili pepper--a haunting quality that hovers on the periphery of your memory and manifests in periodic, sudden, urgent cravings. Maybe it's the chicken, lightly crisp ... More >>

Dancing Ganesha's Chicken 65: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 42

Colorful and tasty too​Good smells waft down Harmon Place when you open the doors to Dancing Ganesha and grab a seat at the bar, it only gets better. Pass by the elephant and settle in to watch the dual TV's -- one showing a Bollywood musical and the other reprising a cricket match with the West I ... More >>

Help! Dinner spot in the south metro?

​I am trying to find a restaurant in the southern suburbs for a meet-up and am having no luck. A former co-worker lives in Faribault and she's going to meet me for dinner, so I want to pick somewhere that won't require her to drive all the way into the Cities. I am thinking Lakeville/Apple Val ... More >>

University Avenue's best Asian restaurants

Restaurants worth fighting LRT construction.​This week's Dish review dubbed On's Thai Kitchen on University at Snelling in St. Paul as a restaurant worth enduring the hassle of LRT construction (Work is now being done between Emerald and Hamline, with the 'dozers moving on to the rest of Universit ... More >>

Salsa a la Salsa's Fried Chocolate Truffles: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 75

Shauna YoungeA fiesta in your mouthLet's face it, in Minnesota we like fried food of nearly any type whether it's meat, veggie, or fruit. Even if the idea unusual fried goodness only appeals to you during State Fair season, Salsa a la Salsa's fried chocolate truffle is one fried food not to miss. Th ... More >>

Anodyne's Artichoke Melt: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 76

Blue chips are a bonus.​Some dishes thrive on flashy presentation, trendy techniques and lofty aspirations. Not so the artichoke melt at Anodyne, which relies on a great cast of ingredients that come together to calm, entertain and feed a busy gal. The bread is grilled to perfection and its conten ... More >>

B.T. McElrath's Salty Dog bar: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 78

​Chocolate as deep, dark, and loving as a Barry White lullaby, studded with hunks of Hope Creamery butter toffee and dusted with a fine layer of rough-hewn sea salt nubs: These are the simple components that create the complex flavor experience of B.T. McElrath's Salty Dog bar.  The Minneapol ... More >>

Little Szechuan's bamboo tips with chili sauce: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 81

Danielle LenzSpicy, refreshing, addictive.​Think appetizers at a typical Chinese restaurant, and egg rolls and cream cheese wontons probably come to mind, maybe a cup of egg drop soup. At Little Szechuan, however, they're doing things just a bit differently. If you're ready to get out of your ... More >>

Top 5 south Minneapolis restaurants you didn't know delivered

carldunniii via Flickr.comSuch magical words​We've all been there: nights when the idea of cooking dinner or venturing into the dark, teeth-chattering cold to grab a meal sounds about as enticing as hitting the gym at 5 a.m. At times like these, there's no phrase quite as magnificent as "We de ... More >>

Best food trends of 2010

Let's see more of this in 2011!​Trends come and go so quickly, you practically need an app to track 'em--especially with the abundance of useful digital cooking & dining tools available. Here's a recap of some of Hot Dish's favorite food and dining trends from 2010:

Szechuan vs. Szechuan Spice: battle of the scorching chicken dishes

Mo PerryThe Chicken with Double Chili Pepper is one of Szechuan Spice's most popular dishes​As temperatures continue to plummet and the winter cold and flu season settles in, our cravings for fiery vittles go through the roof. The recent spate of Szechuan cuisine-based restaurant openings in ... More >>

Highlight: Last Train Home

Twin Cities' best suburban restaurants

Nick VlcekSzechuan at Tian Jin: Worth a trip to the suburbs.​This week's Dish features Travail Kitchen and Amusements, whose unique, gourmet gastropub fare makes it worth the drive to Robbinsdale from elsewhere in the metro. If you live in Minneapolis or St. Paul, here are four more foodstuf ... More >>

U of M dining: a student's guide to the best university-area eats

Goldy's gotta eat, right?​School's back in session at the U of M, and along with it, hordes of hungry co-eds are looking for ways to avoid the cafeteria. Just failed an exam and want to console yourself with something sweet? Got a hot date Friday night who you want to impress? Here are a few recom ... More >>

Szechuan Spice takes over the Zen space in LynLake

The spicy new kid on the LynLake block​​Move over, Zen, Szechuan Spice has taken over your old digs in LynLake. Open since August 9, it focuses on Szechuan flavors with the greatest hits of Chinese-American cuisine thrown in for good measure. Owner-chef ChangFu Xue has worked in China and New Yo ... More >>

Top 10 foods you should never eat on a first date

Hoping for a successful date? Don't order spaghetti​A first date can be a nightmare of anxiety. You want to make a good impression, so you agonize over what to wear, or you rehearse intelligent things to say. So for God's sake don't ruin it all by ordering some foolish food at dinner that is l ... More >>

Zen Asian RIP

The herd of Asian eateries in Uptown thins: RIP Zen Asian ​The lights are off and the phone's disconnected at Lyn-Lake's Zen Asian: Will a neighborhood thick with Asian eats even notice the loss? The place started off with a menu of Asia's greatest culinary hits: curry, pho, fried rice, pad ... More >>

Herkimer Pub and Brewery: the happiest hour

​ Herkimer Pub and Brewery: 2922 Lyndale Ave., S., Mpls. 612.821.0101. website Hours and details: Daily: 3pm-6pm 2 for 1 beer and well drink. select appetizers. And Sunday-Thursday: 10pm-1am $3 beer and well drinks. Check out the happy hour menu here.

Grand Szechuan's Chung King Chicken: 100 Favorite Dishes

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2010, coming this spring, The Hot Dish is serving up a hundred of our favorite local dishes. Send your own nominations to hotdish@citypages.com. Jana Freiband​

Szechuan and Grand Szechuan spicing up the suburbs

Dan Dan noodles might be the new pad Thai

Top 5: Chinese New Year dining options

Missed the actual day but still want to celebrate the Year of the Tiger? Here's our Top 5 suggestions.

Top 5: Leftover foods

Leftovers can be one of the best things about going out to eat. Here's our Top 5 leftover candidates.

Little Szechuan's former chef sues

Little Szechuan's former chef says he was fired and locked out by the restaurant.

Now Open: Grand Szechuan

Pitting Bloomington's new Grand Szechuan v. St. Paul's Little Szechuan...

Now open: Wakame Sushi & Asian Bistro

Strip mall sushi! Wakame Sushi opens its doors in the old Three Fish location in Calhoun Commons.

Domacin of Stillwater and Tian Jin of Chanhassen are bright spots in the suburbs

A classic culinary case of East meets West

Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet

Best Dishes of 2007

For some, 2007 will forever be the year of wide stances in public bathrooms, but for foodies, other moments stand out

Spice as Nice

Tea House, a(nother) new Sichuan restaurant in St. Paul, has juicy buns and spice to burn

Hurts So Good

Frogtown's new Little Szechuan excels with the numbing, tingling, burning joys of authentic chili-pepper-laden cooking from Chengdu

Good Enough

20.21, the Walker's hotly anticipated Wolfgang Puck restaurant, is very good in many ways, but not great

Texture and Snap

Terrific authentic Sichuan in--where else?-- a suburban strip mall