there are sooo many chinese restaurants in sugar land, but weve gotten a little tired of the same old spots, so when we heard about this new hunan restaurant we had to give it a try!
- the smoked pork belly with garlic sprouts (蒜苗炒腊肉) was immediately different from what ive had elsewhere. ive tried so many brands of chinese cured meats from different supermarkets, and somehow almost all of them are sweet. apparently this restaurant gets their cured pork directly from hunan, and the chef taste tested many different brands in china before choosing this one. the quality makes a huuuge difference!
- the hunan pork stir fry (湘锅小炒肉) was also amazing. unlike some restaurants that use jalapeños, they use expensive screw peppers (螺丝椒), which are much more aromatic. the pork was fried until crispy, and the peppers brought out so much flavor. my only complaint is that i wish they had added some fermented black beans
- the hand torn cabbage (手撕包菜) was another classic dish done really well. it had that perfect combination of spice and umami, and the cabbage was crunchy and wok-fried until fragrant. i liked that it wasnt swimming in sauce
- the beef tripe with pickled radish (酸萝卜炒牛百) was nice and crisp, and the pickled radish added a tangy, spicy kick that made it really appetizing. this one was pretty solid but not quite as memorable as the other dishes
apparently the chef is actually from hunan and trained at a well-known restaurant in changsha, and you can really taste the difference
the restaurant itself is also really lovely! the interior is elegant, bright, and airy. service was also super attentive and welcoming. we already booked a private room for next month and are planning to bring more family and friends so we can order a LOT more dishes and really eat to our hearts content hehe. definitely excited to come back and try more of their hunan specialties! read more