Chantilly
88 China Restaurant
For: Szechuan Chinese
13635 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway; Chantilly
It’s the silky vegetables that I remember most from 88 China. Bok choy glistening in garlicky oil and snow pea leaves, the greens bright and just-wilted, with stems that snap. Scallion fried fish, fragrant with cumin and accessorized with cilantro and red pepper, is always a standby, as is the not-numbing ma po with creamy tofu and bits of ground pork. Arriving in a tall, sizzling pot like a trophy, the slices of cumin-enhanced lamb have just the right mix of texture and tenderness. The restaurant itself is sparse and wide open. A clean, minimal space with servers willing to answer questions. We asked for dessert and we’re pointed to the appetizer section. Called pumpkin pie, they are little rounds of crisp dough with sticky pumpkin inside. Sweet. -Stefanie Gans
(June 2014)
