Return of the Great Places I've Eaten.

I felt compelled to do at least one more posting about great places to eat before I rambled off onto other topics. Most great things come in trilogies anyway right?

This time I'm spotlighting a great chinese place in the Atlanta area (technically in Doraville I think) called Little Szechwan. It's right on the Bufford Hwy. Easiest way to get there is to take 285  to the Bufford Hwy exit (exit No.) then head ITP (south west if my calculations are correct) It'll be on your left in a very unassuming plaza that honestly looks run down. I've heard that they've recently renovated a bit but I've yet to confirm this.

Anyway back to the restaurant. I had recently watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain's show where he went to the Szechwan Province in China. The food that he ate intrigued me as I am always on the look out for new types and styles of food to try. I was driving down the Bufford Hwy on one of my semi-weekly shopping expidentions when I saw the sign for this place.

I made a mental note and came back a few weeks later to give it a try. I walked in expecting the inside of the place to be a run down as the outside. But luckily I was wrong. The place was very clean and didn't have that "fresh" smell associated with a lot of places in the area. I was seated and given a menu. While I was giving it the once over I was surprised when the waitress showed back up with a complimentary pot of hot tea and a plate pickled veggies (which started a love affair with pickles that will have to covered in it's own posting). After figuring out what I wanted I ordered and happily munched veggies while I waited for my entrée to show up. During this time I couldn't help but notice that everywhere you looked they had information about how they had made it on to Martin Yan's Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in America. I don't remember what I ordered but I do remember that it was delicious. While I was stuffing my face and enjoying myself almost to a sinful extent the chef wandered out to my table. He brought with him a plate piled high with these wonderful stir-fried string beans. Apparently they were on the house as well! This happened on a couple of occasions but not every time and it wasn't always string beans sometimes is was sesame chicken or the like. The first time I went it was just after lunch and they were slow. The next few times I went at night with friends when they were busy. After experiencing them in a rush I made a point in going early afternoon so as to get better service. This is when I usually got the free entrees.  My theory on that is this: The chef was either bored or had cooked food that he didn't want to just throw out.

The food here is always amazing and I have never been disappointed. That being said the service is somewhat lack luster. While they are usually at least very friendly they're not by any means attentive. Which is still better than most of the restaurants around it. Bad service is kind of par for the course in this area of town if you're not of a certain persuasion.

So any ways like always if you're ever in the area you should make a point of stopping in a giving this place a try. Till next time, happy eating to you!