Sichuan Gourmet or Garden?

Published on Wednesday, June 16, 2010, by Joyce Slaton / Edit Post

Brookline's Sichuan Gourmet and Sichuan Garden. Both in the same town. Both serving Sichuan. Both beloved. Dear God, which one do you choose? Depends on what you're in the mood to order. Here's what's best at each:

Sichuan Gourmet:
• Dan dan noodles
• Ma pa tofu
• Cold Sichuan noodles with chile-peanut sauce
• Any of the cumin dishes: cumin beef, cumin lamb, etc.

Sichuan Garden:
• Soups, particularly beef soup with noodles
• Rabbit in chile
• Chongqing chicken, dry-fried chicken with chile, found on the specials menu. Avoid the Chengdu chicken on the regular menu.
• Cauldron of spicy fish

And stick to the Sichuan dishes at both places. The Americanized Chinese food is terrible.

Sichuan Garden [South Shore]
295 Washington Street, Brookline
617-734-1870

Sichuan Gourmet [South Shore]
1004 Beacon Street, Brookline
617-277-4226

Discuss: Sichuan in Brookline: Garden or Gourmet?

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  • haven't been to either one yet, but Sichuan Billerica location had a unique version of dan dan noodles, as well as what i think was a chef's special black bean double cooked bacon that was a great take on a traditional dish. I've enjoyed rabbit elsewhere but hesitate to order again because of having to remove all the bones, but can you comment on if Sichuan Garden's version was just as annoyingly...+READ

    haven't been to either one yet, but Sichuan Billerica location had a unique version of dan dan noodles, as well as what i think was a chef's special black bean double cooked bacon that was a great take on a traditional dish. I've enjoyed rabbit elsewhere but hesitate to order again because of having to remove all the bones, but can you comment on if Sichuan Garden's version was just as annoyingly 'boney'?-COLLAPSE