I just had to share this amazing sweet and sour aubergine we had a couple weeks ago at our local Sichuan restaurant. There were a few new additions to their menu and this was one of them.
It was a huge aubergine (eggplant) sliced like a giant Hasselback potato then dipped in batter and deep fried. After plating, a spicy sweet and sour sauce with pork was poured over.
The amount of oil required to deep fry the whole aubergine really scares me but the taste was so amazing! The sauce was the closest thing to General Tso’s sauce I’ve had in the UK – it was sweet and tart with the vinegar and had some chili in it. The sauce is something I hope to replicate at home; I’ll pass on the deep frying!
Sichuan Restaurant
116 Churchfield Road
Acton
London W3 6BY
Tamarind and Thyme 
Sun, 2 Nov, 2008 at 21:37
Bloooooooooooody hell.
Okay, Su-Lin, tell me EXACTLY how to get to this place. I…am…speechless.
I must go. I must go now.
Sun, 2 Nov, 2008 at 23:07
Su-lin,
That sounds amazing !!! I love eggplant, and fried with that sweet and sour, it would be fabulous ! That’s definitely going to be on my list of ‘have-to’s !!!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 00:00
That looks amazing!!!! I can almost taste it. I love it.
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 04:31
That has got to be the most spectacular eggplant I have ever seen!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 07:14
That looks incredible! I *heart* eggplant!
xox Sarah
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 07:30
This reminded me of a restaurant on Crete, where the menu offered ‘sautéed aborigines’.
We had some, and thought they were delicious!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 09:28
O.M.G
is all i can say. Even though i fully know weel that aubergine is one of those ‘we soak up every ounce of oil’ vegetable, but that looks amazing!!!!! You are very lucky indeed to have such a wonderful restaurant near you!
The hotpot doesnt seem that expensive….18 per person and are you et co big eaters? Coz my family like to eat alot esp at hotpot…we sit eat/talk for a few hours lol…..i want to try it sumtime soon =)
I’m officially jealous of your dinner atm haha
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 10:59
I need this!!!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 12:08
Okay, Su-Lin, I’ve emailed this to my mum, who is absolutely nutso for Sichuanese food. Her reply?
“We are going. Tonight.”
Yipeee!
My mum also asked me to ask you (don’t you love these third-hand conversatins?) what else we need to order at this restaurant. Anything that hasn’t floated your boat? Do you have any regular regulars here? How are the fish-fragrant aubergines?
Set us up, baby. We are HUNGRY.
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 12:23
Adriana: I’ve sent you an email!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 12:50
Su-Lin, I love you. You are amazing in all ways, but most especially your lightning-quick aid to starving Chinese food lovers. Seriously, you must be the kindest person on the internet. It makes me feel happy just knowing you’re out there. Sorry for the embarrassing public leg-hump. But you’re just THAT GREAT.
I’ll be sure to report back on the epic feast later. Geesh, Monday afternoons never seemed so long.
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 12:55
amazing stuff!
Mon, 3 Nov, 2008 at 14:06
I echo Adriana’s questions and sentiments – is the rest of the food at “Sichuan Restaurant” as tasty-looking and -sounding?
Tue, 4 Nov, 2008 at 04:22
My goodness.
Tue, 4 Nov, 2008 at 11:19
Adriana: Did you go yesterday in the end? I want to hear all about it!
Oh, and EVERYONE, they are CLOSED on TUESDAYS!
Loving Annie: C’mon over and try it!
Robin: I would have normally been all ho-hum about sweet and sour but this had a kick of chili too – delicious!
[eatingclub] vancouver || js: You know, I first saw it on another couple’s table and we thought it was some meat dish at first. I thought perhaps pork leg?
Sarah: Yes! Especially when it’s all soft and melting…
travelrat: 😀 !!! Oh dear! That’s got to take the cake in terms of typos!
vivi: When it’s just my brother and me, we just order that for the two of us and we’re stuffed to the gills and we never finish it all. And we’re big eaters and we’re there for something like 3 hours! Once I organised a dinner for 8 of us and I ordered a two person serving to share between us all, along with other dishes. That had to be the first time that I’d seen it all finished!
tommy: Then come over to the west side! 😉
kat: It’s very very good!
American in London: Most definitely. Here’s a link to all my Sichuan restaurant food photos on my Flickr photostream. The corn with salted egg is particularly nice…but it’s been taken off the menu but they’ll make it for you if you ask.
Michele: Oh yes!
Tue, 4 Nov, 2008 at 21:54
It looks somehow like the ‘squirrel fish’, but then in an egpplant version! I have never seen it in China, but it looks interesting enough to try out don’t you think?
Wed, 5 Nov, 2008 at 11:23
kattebelletje: Yes! It does look like squirrel fish… I wish I knew of a place in London that makes it. Maybe I should ask the Sichuan restaurant nicely! But for me at least, while the presentation is beautiful, can you imagine the amount of oil needed to fry this big boy?!
Wed, 5 Nov, 2008 at 14:26
Caramba!!!! This aubergine looks awesome!!! It’s amazing: the way it’s cooked and the sauce… never saw anything like this 😀
Thu, 6 Nov, 2008 at 21:18
That looks magnificent! Before I read the post and looked closely at the pic I thought it was roast pork! LOL.
Sun, 9 Nov, 2008 at 23:01
Núria: Neither had I! And I’m glad I had the chance to try it!
TFP: Yes, it does look like a meat dish at first! Soooo delicious it is!
Wed, 12 Nov, 2008 at 01:26
oh my lord… this looks like nothing i’ve ever seen before! it looks AMAZING!
-amy
Fri, 14 Nov, 2008 at 20:10
Sweet and sour aubergine… never tried… looks yummy..
Sun, 16 Nov, 2008 at 11:12
Jonathan: Pretty neat huh! And when you use chopsticks to tear away at the poor aubergine, it looks positively carnivorous!
mycookinghut: No, just by those words alone, I probably wouldn’t have tried it…but I’m glad I did!
Mon, 8 Dec, 2008 at 19:34
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