botd wrote:The gong bao chicken here is definitely of the tang cu (literally sugar vinegar) sweet and sour camp. But this is actually the authentic version of the dish. The use of doubanjiang seems to be a mostly American invention that skews it more toward a yu xiang style. I really like JMC's version but sugar + zhenjiang vinegar is one of my favorite flavors and the peanuts at JMC are usually divine.

That's good to know. A few years ago I had it in Chengdu and it was great. Definitely different tasting than what I'd normally had anywhere in America. Good to know JMC does it the more authentic way. Next time I'm in town I'll be sure to go there and try it.

Wanting to try a new LUNCH SPECIAL place for a change-
we went to Szechwan JMC-
and had a fantastic meal- for $8.95 each.....(excluding these unctuous Wonton in Chili Sauce,
SzechuanJMC Chinese Kitchen- Wontons in Chile Oil Sauce 8 pc.@ $6.95 by R. Kramer, on Flickr

There are 10 items listed on the Monday through Friday Lunch Special menu-
and I totally enjoyed L10- a Pork Belly stir-fried-Rice with chunks of Scallion and
black bean and chilies and amazing-"flavor"
I'd love to show you how it looked before I ate it-
but- you'll just have to believe me.
Double-Cooked Pork Fired Rice- (w/ a Chili next to it!)
further advancing my ethnic-diner menu theory- being.
the most vague and ambiguous the name of the dish- often's
the best one to order.

This is what my dining companion had- who was having a great chat with her brother- and therefore wasn't as excited to eat her dish- as I was.....
My newest favorite LUNCH-SPECIAL served at Szechwan JMC by R. Kramer, on Flickr
That would be Lunch Special L05

The soup- that is supplied- an Egg Drop Soup- is amazingly tasty- the seaweed slimes onto my chin occasionally making for a not-so-pretty-picture...... but the temperatures smokin' hot- and the flavor of the broth is very rich.
When asked for Spicy Mustard- that face-that is expressing-"No-Understand-Mr.-Round-Eyes"- indicated that is not a condiment that they offer- but- was pointed to the stainless jar of Chili Oil- as a Plan-B-option.
I politely declined that addition to my rather-non-descript-Egg-Roll.

Don't miss this Lunch Special.
We also tasted (and enjoyed) The Mapo Tofu-
which I liked-
much better that the one I usually enjoy at Northern City on 31st Street.

L10-Lunch Special- Double Cooked Pork with Fried Rice.

JMC Szechuan Lunch Special- Double Cooked Fried Rice + Egg Roll + Egg Drop Soup by R. Kramer, on Flickr

Yum
(+)
Yummmm
(=)
Double-Yumm!

Had dinner earlier this week with some first-timers. The one dish we ordered that was new to me (and not already pictured upthread) was . . .


Dongbo Style Braised Pork (S 10)

Despite its appearance, this tender, unctuous belly dish was not sweet. It packed a savory umami punch, provided in part by some fermented black beans and a touch of Szechwan peppercorn.

Overall, our meal was very enjoyable. The others really dug it, and so did I but I couldn't help feeling like it was kind of an off night -- still good but not quite at the level of some of the lunches I've had there. It was on the late side and maybe they were, understandably, gassed. I brought some sour beer, which paired well but the metal cups we were given really brought out some odd, unpleasant notes in the beer. I would have greatly preferred glass, or even plastic. I tried to communicate that but was unsuccessful.

In any case, I'll definitely be back soon, probably for lunch, when I've had better experiences and byo will likely not be part of the equation. At a table near us, they ordered what appeared to be a dry chili chicken dish that was combined with crinkle-cut french fries. Damn, it looked good. However, looking at the menu, I can't seem to figure out exactly what it was. Anyone know?

Lastly, as for the 10% cash discount, best to request it. Nothing on our bill indicated the discount but once we asked, our server re-printed the bill with the discounted total. I'm not sure if we'd paid the initial bill with cash, we would have been given the discount.

=R=

kuhdo wrote:Chong Quing popcorn chicken( with fries mixed in)

ronnie_suburban wrote:At a table near us, they ordered what appeared to be a dry chili chicken dish that was combined with crinkle-cut french fries. Damn, it looked good. However, looking at the menu, I can't seem to figure out exactly what it was. Anyone know?

Was it the dish mentioned first post of the thread by two-lunch kuhdo.

If you are looking for a braised pork belly dish I think the sichuan braised pork is amazing at JMC. Very well cooked and the sauce is not just sweet soy but has a bit of red fermented bean curd and comes mixed with a heaping amount of jalapeno slices.

G Wiv wrote:

kuhdo wrote:Chong Quing popcorn chicken( with fries mixed in)

ronnie_suburban wrote:At a table near us, they ordered what appeared to be a dry chili chicken dish that was combined with crinkle-cut french fries. Damn, it looked good. However, looking at the menu, I can't seem to figure out exactly what it was. Anyone know?

Was it the dish mentioned first post of the thread by two-lunch kuhdo.

Yep, that's it. Thank you! It's menu item S12 and appears in the Chef's Specials section of the (printed) menu.

botd wrote:If you are looking for a braised pork belly dish I think the sichuan braised pork is amazing at JMC. Very well cooked and the sauce is not just sweet soy but has a bit of red fermented bean curd and comes mixed with a heaping amount of jalapeno slices.

Excellent - thanks, for the tip. Looks like my next JMC meal is already taking shape.

=R=

That’s the one!

botd
NOVEMBER 20TH, 2019, 4:00 PM
The gong bao chicken here is definitely of the tang cu (literally sugar vinegar) sweet and sour camp. But this is actually the authentic version of the dish. The use of doubanjiang seems to be a mostly American invention that skews it more toward a yu xiang style. I really like JMC's version but sugar + zhenjiang vinegar is one of my favorite flavors and the peanuts at JMC are usually divine.

Stopped in for the lunch special yesterday- and never had the Kung Pao Chicken-
as it's a dish I generally avoid,
because it's typically too sweet of a dish for my taste.

This one was good-also slightly sweet- but I did note the vinegar which "botd" had referenced.

Kung Pao Chicken Lunch Special > Szechwan JMC > Chinatown/Chicago $8.99 by R. Kramer, on Flickr
Overall- a consistently, well-balanced bowl-of-yum- offering an affordable Lunch Special in what's become of my new "standard-rotation" spots.

It wasn't quite a ghost town but Chinatown was notably empty for a Friday night. In fact, and not surprisingly, at just before 9, we pulled right up to a parking place directly in front of JMC and strolled right in. And the rest of that block of Cermak was fairly wide open. JMC wasn't empty, but there was just one other party -- non-Chinese regulars -- dining in, and a few carry-outs during our time there. Food and service were great, as usual. We ordered a few of our favorites and a few dishes we'd never had before. Since item numbers seem to vary between the printed menus and the menus at JMC's website, I'm not going to bother trying to list them here since it might just lead to confusion . . .


Ox Tendon & Maw in Chili Sauce
Probably my favorite take on one of my very favorite dishes. I'm likely to order this one every time I go.


Chong Qing Popcorn Chicken
Finally had the dish kuhdo described in the opening post! It was every bit as great as it looks and sounds. Crispy mini-nuggets of fried chicken and ultra-crispy, crinkle-cut fries, all fried in a fiery, dry-chili-fueled oil. What's not to love?


Cucumber With Tofu Skin
I enjoyed some aspects of this dish but in the end it was just too salty for me.


West Lake Beef Soup
A great, elemental soup that I'd never had before. Basically, a rich and flavorful, gelatinous egg-drop soup with ground beef in it. Really tasty.


Hot & Spicy Shrimp
Head-on, perfectly fried and damned spicy. Another winner.


House Special Lamb Ribs
Very good but not as enjoyable as during previous visits. I loved the cumin-y flavor, but the ribs' exteriors were a little soft and the pieces were so small they felt more like pieces than ribs.

Overall, another really enjoyable meal at Szechwan JMC.

=R=