WENDY AND TOM DINE OUT

There are literally hundreds of Chinese restaurants in New York City and most have a similar menu.  Szechuan Hunan Cottage is one of the better choices because the food is good and the price is right! The restaurant is in a quiet residential area and is rather small. It has about 15 tables that are somewhat close together. Tables have white tablecloths with a sheet of white paper over them. Napkins are made of a heavy quilted paper with an attractive rose on them. The area is paneled three quarters of the way up the walls and the upper part is mirrored. The tables are set with simple, yet attractive, white dinnerware. Wine is included with every meal, as if a nice sized bowl of brown or white rice.

RESTAURANT:

SZECHUAN HUNAN COTTAGE

ADDRESS:

1433 Second Avenue (between 75th and 76th Street)

DATE:

November 24, 2000

MEAL:

Dinner

BREAD:

SALAD:

APPETIZER:

Hot and Sour Soup ($1.50) Very Good - Not too spicy with a nice mix of ingredients, but a bit thin. Large metal spoons accompanied the soup instead of the tradition porcelain (or plastic) traditional soup spoons.

ENTREE:

Szechuan Double Taste ($10.95) "Quite Good" - Chunks of chicken and prawns with broccoli, baby corn, water chestnuts, Chinese mushrooms in a house special garlic sauce. Nicely spiced and not too hot.

Mixed Chinese Vegetable with Bean Curd ($6.75) Very Good - All the vegetables were cooked properly and the portion was ample.

Beef with Orange Flavor ($9.95) Very Good - the pieces of beef were a bit large and not as tender as they could be, but still, a nice dish

DESSERT:

Pineapple and fortune cookies (included)

OTHER:

Take out available

Parking on the street could be a little tricky

Quick service

Good value for the price

Chinese music in background

Clean and well run

Wait staff is very pleasant

OVERALL:

B+

Although this restaurant has nothing particularly special about it, it is a nice place to dine if you are in the area. The food is better than average and the price is very reasonable considering it includes individual bowls of rice and a refillable glass of wine.

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