Let me set the stage for you.
My Monday after Thanksgiving was hectic. I was so busy, I skipped lunch.
Here’s why this is important: While most anything tastes great when you’re that hungry, I was blown away by just how good the food was at Shi Qu Restaurant in Edmonds. This authentic Sichuan restaurant, opened in September off Highway 99, truly raises the bar for Chinese restaurants, at least for me.
First, a quick tip about Sichuan cuisine: Prepare for a spicy meal. Sichuan is a province in southwest China. Its cuisine has a reputation for being hot and pungent, but it can also be sweet and aromatic. I experienced the entire spectrum when I dined at Shi Qu, but I’d recommend being prepared for spicy food, because chili peppers and garlic are used liberally.
Next, a note about directions. Shi Qu Restaurant is easy enough to find off Highway 99, but it’s located on the corner of a strip mall that houses three other Asian restaurants. I’ll admit that I walked into the wrong restaurant before reaching my destination.
You’ll find Shi Qu Restaurant between an insurance office and a facial spa. There’s a sign above the door — half in English and half in Chinese — that reads “Always Fresh.”
Now, back to the food.
The menu features 33 main dishes, such as steamed pork with rice flour, boneless pork with poached egg, boiled fish fillet and braised pig belly. There also are soups, house specials, desserts and special snacks, such as red oil wontons, braised beef shank vermicelli and Sichuan cold noodles.
It might help to look at the menu online at www.shiquedmonds.com before dining there; I was certainly overwhelmed by all the choices. You can ask for recommendations from a server, but there might be a language barrier.
Speaking of which: If you’re seeking Americanized versions of Chinese food, this isn’t the place for you.
My twin brother, Shane, joined me for this much-anticipated dinner. We decided to split a few things so we could explore the menu.
Our first order was a braised beef wrap for $9.99. It was sliced into eight sections. With the sweet and juicy beef, fresh herbs and crispy wrap, it quickly became my favorite dish of the evening.
We also shared six Sichuan dumplings for $7.99. These teetered into spicy territory, but the sweetness of the meat helped balance that out.
Our final order was the spiciest of them all: crispy spare ribs ($15.99). The green and red chili peppers packed some punch, while the ribs had a smoky taste.
It feels like you’ve hit the jackpot when you’re hungry and find a restaurant that surpasses your wildest expectations.
Shane couldn’t have summed up the experience any better when he said, “I feel like I’ve been doing Chinese food wrong all my life.”
Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @ByEvanThompson.
If you go
What: Shi Qu Restaurant
Where: 22315 Highway 99, Suites K and I
When: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday
More: 425-697-2250 or www.shiquedmonds.com
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