By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor Published Dec 04, 2023 at 11:02 AM

Sze Chuan
11102 W. National Ave., (414) 885-0856
orderonlinehub.com/szechuanrestaurant
Chinese
$$

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If you’d like to taste great Chinese fare -- particularly dishes that hail from the Szechuan region -- look no further than Sze Chuan, a West Allis gem serving up an overwhelmingly large menu of fare, much of which hails from Chengdu, China.

Choices include cold options (try the garlic pork), noodles (try the dandan noodles), Chinese staples and a selection of dry and stone pot dishes (including a great collection of vegetable options).

This isn’t the place to get stuck in a rut; ordering something you’ve never tried before often pays off in dividends. Try vegetable dishes like cauliflower or lotus root dry pot.  Braised mushrooms and Shanghai greens or mustard greens with tofu skin are also options, along with the memorable slice potatoes (order them with vinegar and peppers!).

Regional highlights include their Szechuan grilled lamb, twice cooked pork, fish in chili pepper soup and ma po tofu (with or without pork). Be sure to try the Szechuan special house shortribs; they’re tender and flavorful with just the right balance of mouth-numbing Szechuan pepper.

Also, if you’re a hot pot fan, Sze Chuan offers a lovely spread. Bring friends and order prudently (It’s all-too-easy easy to get carried away.  Remember you can always order more later). 

Recommended: Szechuan pork dumplings; mustard greens with tofu skin; grilled curry lamb

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor

As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.