贡院蜀楼
贡院头条5号
Gong Yuan Shu Lou
5 Gongyuan Toutiao
I used to like to go to Chuanban, the Sichuan Provincial Government restaurant, to get an authentic Sichuan food. There was always a long line to get a table, and the trick was to arrive there before 6pm. But, we haven’t been back for ages because several years ago, the quality of the food there had slipped significantly.
The restaurant was closed for several months for renovation, and after it reopened, we did not go back right away. Tonight we decided to give the "new" Chuanban, another try. After all, maybe the kitchen was improved along with the new design. Unfortunately, our dinner experience tonight was another solid proof that quality remains missing in action at Chuanban, now named Gongyuan Shulou (House of Sichuan).
The new venue at first glance was seemingly attractive, with a bridge and moon gate and roof tiles and eves in the interior, creating a courtyard atmosphere. We were ushered to a two seat table in the far corner, pushed uncomfortable against a gray brick wall. The once large sprawling venue is now reduced to too many small claustrophobic cubicle, divided by latticed panels, moon gates, forming lots of open-air private dining rooms that do nothing to cushion the loud chatter of guests. We liked it better when the Chuanban was one open and airily large venue with no dividers.
The menu is quite extensive, loaded with exotic dishes such as bullfrog and rabbit as well as bird’s saliva and sea slug. We wanted to test the kitchen's ability to deal with simple Sichuan favorites, and so we opted for mapo tofu, twice-cooked pork, Kong Pao chicken and steamed rice to go with the dishes. To rate the food we ate tonight from 1 to 5, it was at the bottom 1. The twice-cooked pork was drenched in oil, meager slices of sad-looking belly pork and abundant of leeks. There was no trace of chili bean paste. The bean curd dish was equally bad, soaked in oil, and the chicken lacked the sweet and tangy flavor. The dandan noodle which I tried a few days earlier was awfully overcooked and submerged in a sea of broth. For some reason, the Chuanban has joined the legion of Chinese restaurants today that think renovation of the venue and menu are more important than good old-fashioned cooking.
Despite the marked decline in the quality of food offered at the Chuanban, a legion of faithful continue to stand in line each night, which there's no incentive for this once decent restaurant to get things right again.
Eileen, I had a bad meal at ChuanBan also.
I was just in Beijing in April. I only had
the time to try two of the government restaurants. And, YUNTENG SHIFU was
wonderful...though. Everything thoughtfully prepared, very fresh ingredients, really a quite remarkable experience.
Posted by: Elaine Mintzer | 05/10/2012 at 10:24 PM