Hot Pot with Mushroom and Pork. We had to lead off with this one, because it's so cool. And because it emphasizes our point: I bet you didn't know you could get food like this at Middle Kingdom!
This month's Current review took us to Middle Kingdom, which is possibly the least understood (or most misunderstood) restaurant in Ann Arbor. Everyone knows they have Americanized Chinese food... but far too few people know that they also have very authentic Chinese food, with a separate team of chefs from Sichuan and Beijing cooking it. The secret is that you have to ask for the Red Menu, and we're here to help you navigate it. The dishes below, which we actually describe in the article, are all in there. (We use the menu spelling of "Szechuan" below.)
Check out our review on eCurrent.com (and feel free to click on the star of your choice to rate it if you want to), and check out all the photos that didn't fit below. As always, you can click on them for larger versions. (The color balance on these is a little off, but we wanted to get them up in the meantime; sorry about that!)
Mushroom Salad: light and fresh, with both shiitake and the less-seen enoki mushrooms. The photo from the article, in case you wanted a closer look.
Our all-time favorite, Fish
Fillet with Bean Cake Soup (#51). Just look at all that red chile
goodness. Not as spicy as it looks, but don't drink the broth (too
oily), just fish the pieces out like you're supposed to.
Pi Pa Tofu, aka Deep-Fried Tofu
with Assorted Vegetables (#226): we have to work very hard not to get
this each time we're there. Spectacular dish, boring name. If Johnny
hadn't recommended this we would never have known about it.
Beef with Hand-Made Noodle Soup:
A surprise hit. This could stand as a meal for one on its own, and
probably does in its native land. See the article for a description.
More behind the cut; trust me, this is not to be missed...
Szechuan Sauerkraut (#10): about
what it looks like; pickled cabbage with chili oil. Not in the article,
but good.
Cucumber with Szechuan Bean Sauce
(#24): not in the article.
Szechuan Steamed Meat Buns (#8).
Szechuan Style Cold Jello (#19): we think.
Noodle with Sour Pickle and Shredded Pork (#37): Combine as you dine.
That hotpot again. Spicy, great mix of textures, complex. Not for amateurs. But then you're not amateurs, are you?
Sole Fish Fillet in Spicy Szechuan Sauce (#52). Not in the article. Note the big pieces of ginger in the foreground.
Szechuan String Beans (#151).
Double Fried Eggplant with Fresh Chili (#149). Oh yeah. See the description in the article.
This... is some kind of Shanghai-Style deep-fried beef with a sweet sauce and coconut. We're not sure this is actually on the menu, but it was tasty, albeit a bit excessive.
Thanks to our gracious and knowledgeable hosts, we have just consumed 5 of the dishes pictured and described above and in the eCurrent review - with gusto and pleasure! Next time, we must try the others, although it will be really really hard not to have these again, they were so good! Thanks, Joe and Lisa! A perfect birthday lunch!
Posted by: Julie Saul | May 23, 2010 at 05:40 PM
So, I'm assuming that the red menu is translated ?I wish that section of their website was too.
Posted by: Jason | May 26, 2010 at 08:50 PM
@Jason: yes, it is. Apart from a handwritten insert which is just in Chinese. We list some of the dishes on that insert in our ecurrent.com review, and there are photos above.
@Mom: you're welcome!
Posted by: Joe, Kitchen Chick's husband | May 26, 2010 at 10:03 PM
Well, now I know where my next 27 Chinese meals are going to be at lol.That picture of the #19 does look similar to the cold jelly I had at Hidden Dragon in Ypsi. I'd love to see you guys try that place out since it's my go to for authentic Sichuan cuisine in Ypsi ( pretty much by default)
Posted by: Jason | May 27, 2010 at 06:22 PM
Interesting. We've had takeout from Hidden Dragon and been unimpressed, but that doesn't mean anything if they've got a secret menu too. Have to check it out...
Posted by: Joe, Kitchen Chick's husband | May 29, 2010 at 09:13 AM
I was really tempted on this page by the Pi Pa Tofu, but then in the review I saw it has shrimp. Is the shrimp in the tofu cakes, or can it be left out? Sadly, I am allergic to the little crustaceans :^(
Posted by: Tricia | May 30, 2010 at 01:09 AM
@Tricia: we're pretty sure they're made to order, since they're always the last dish to come out. Theoretically, you should be able to ask them to omit the shrimp. Be careful, though, if a miscommunication could make you ill.
Posted by: Joe, Kitchen Chick's husband | May 30, 2010 at 11:01 PM
@Joe: Yeah they actually have a full color menu at the cash register in the front. Just ask them for the Chinese menu.
Posted by: Jason | June 01, 2010 at 06:45 PM
I gotta thank you guys for this article. I had a great meal here on Sunday.
Posted by: Jason | June 07, 2010 at 08:15 PM
@Jason: what did you get?
Posted by: Joe, Kitchen Chick's husband | June 08, 2010 at 11:09 AM
@Joe , I just copied off you guys lol. I got the Sauerkraut, Cucumbers in bean sauce, and I thought I had ordered the Noodle with Sour Pickle and Shredded Pork. What I actually got was a soup with pork and pickled greens with noodles. No complaints at all though, especially since they actually have a Chinese take out menu ( something none of the other places seem to offer). Next up on my list are Tea Smoked Duck and Three Cup Chicken.
Posted by: Jason | June 08, 2010 at 06:03 PM
sounds great! will try this tonight (especially since I just found out that there was a fire at Chia Shiang - our go-to place, thanks to your posts about it - and they will be closed for a while...)
Posted by: Dana | June 09, 2010 at 01:01 PM
It's officially, this is my new favorite place. Went back there again today.
Posted by: Jason | June 10, 2010 at 06:28 PM