Spicy and Tasty Spicy and Tasty is actually a creative name in the realm of English names for Chinese restaurants. I’m glad they took a step up from Happy Wok, Double Happiness, and East Seafood Palace. The decor is also a bit less gaudy, except for the ugly plastic chili peppers displayed in an inside window.
At the front of the restaurant, all the cold appetizers are on display. They all look amazingly fresh and my mom said that they’re all pretty good. She’s tried most of them. You don’t want to order too many during the same visit though. Most of them share the same marinade of Sichuan chili oil. Their oil is authentic in flavor and extremely aromatic.
My mom wanted me to try the Wild Vegetables which had a nice crunch. I enjoyed it but I only wanted a few bites. The portion was just too big. 
There are a couple if signature Sichuan dishes that you have to try at a Sichuan place. Dan Dan Noodles, Red Oil Dumplings, and Water Cooked Beef. The Dan Dan Noodles served as my brother’s birthday noodles last night. Chinese people eat noodles for birthdays to signify wishing your loved ones a long life.
The noodles were a bit flat in flavor which surprised me but the Red Oil Dumplings were quite good, displaying the very distinct flavor of Sichuan chili oil.
I asked my mom why this spicy dish is called Water Cooked Beef. Is it a joke? She didn’t know but it is nothing like what it sounds like. The dish is traditionally ultra spicy, “Ma-la”, meaning numbing. I was kind of disappointed that this dish didn’t have that level of “Ma-la” it should, but it was otherwise very flavorful and probably better this way. I just wanted to hold on to tradition because this dish was a favorite of mine and my uncle Chester’s, who passed away a few years ago. It was a dish that made him laugh with pleasure when he would watch a little child swallow mouthfuls of such spicy food.
The Tea Smoked Duck was mediocre but my mom explained that it’s usually better.
My favorite dish of the night was a Fish and Soft Tofu in Bean Sauce. It’s the kind of dish Chinese people call “Sha Fan”, a dish that accompanies rice well and usually encourages the eating of more rice. Logically, this pungent and saucy dish makes the cut.
My dad loves this dish, traditionally made with the rice that is stuck to the edges of the pot. The rice is stuck together and fried and a saucy mixture is poured on top. This one had shrimp, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. The shrimp was over-cooked but the flavor of the sauce was nice and light, a needed break from all the spicy dishes.
I wasn’t impressed with all the dishes. The spices were authentic but the level of heat was toned down a bit. I have mixed feelings about this restaurant because it was inconsistent but my mom said it’s usually better and I trust her enough to go again.
