Little Szechuan!

First to start my blog post I have to say 新年快乐！The Chinese New Year has come, and as a Chinese major here at Mac, I felt it was my duty to celebrate in proper fashion. And I thought there was no better way to do so than to hit up one of the best restaurants in town, Little Szechuan. Voted among the top 50 Chinese restaurants in America by CNN’s travel site, Little Szechuan is an authentic dining experience located right here in the Twin Cities.

                While I had eaten Little Szechuan food before my trip to the restaurant, all my prior experiences had been with their catered food. While I will NEVER say no to free food, you can’t beat fresh food right from the kitchen. In order to celebrate the Year of the Snake right, I also brought along some friends who had very little experience eating authentic Chinese food . I forewarned them that we would not be dining on egg rolls and cream cheese wontons, and that they would get a taste for the real China.

                As we sat down, my friends browsed the menu, eagerly choosing a variety of dishes. I was impressed with their open-mindedness, and was getting hungrier by the minute reviewing the menu. We ordered several dishes including Ma La Beef Jerky, Dancing Shrimp, Kung Pao Tofu, and more. I'd eaten many of the foods while I was studying in China and felt right at home, but thoroughly enjoyed watching my friends struggle with the texture of tofu, and with the various spices so foreign to their tastebuds. But perhaps the most enjoyable part was watching them try to use the chopsticks to eat rice. And I wasn't the only one enjoying the spectacle:  Several Chinese American people were watching as well, chuckling as my friends dropped food all over the place.

                In the end, the journey down University Avenue proved to be a top-notch trip. If you're looking for a way to spice up the day and get an authentic Chinese cuisine experience, I, along with many other people, highly recommend Little Szechuan!