A Blast of Flavors

Sichuan Bistro

Location: 7888 S Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, OH 45040
Phone: 513-770-3123
Offers: Dine-in, Take out  
Cuisine: Authentic Szechuan Cuisine, Americanized Chinese Cuisine, Shanghai Cuisine
Signature Dishes: Double Cooked Pork, Red Chili Chicken, Water-boiled Fish, Jumble Pork Meatballs, Sweet & Sour Pork Tenderloin
Year of Establishment: 2006
Website: www.sichuanbistro.com

Americanized Chinese cuisine is a representation of Chinese cuisine as a whole. However, there are major aspects of Chinese cuisine that are underrepresented in various parts of the country. Also, some dishes that use heavily breaded chicken and broccoli accompanied with homemade syrupy-sweet sauce are sometimes more American than they are Chinese. Yujian Zhao, owner of Sichuan Bistro decided to open up a restaurant in Mason that would be able to deliver authentic Sichuan style Chinese food to its residents because he wanted foodies there to see another exciting side of Chinese cuisine.

Located in the strip mall along the Mason-Montgomery Road, Sichuan Bistro is decorated in a minimalist and unsophisticated style, with a simple layout. Sichuan Bistro started with only one small dining room, but then expanded after acquiring the restaurant next door in 2009. Featuring an orange earthy color scheme, Sichuan Bistro’s artsy interior is also filled with strokes of purple. The hanging lanterns and decorative Oriental fans add a festive touch to the aesthetic decor that is further enhanced by the tasteful paintings hanging on the walls.

Despite its unsophisticated look, the restaurant focuses on providing an intriguing variety of food—Americanized Chinese, authentic Sichuan, and even Shanghai cuisine.

Two Menus
Stepping into the restaurant, you will be offered two menus: Americanized Chinese menu for mainstream American palates, and the other, an authentic Szechuan specialties menu that lists all the Sichuan dishes from mild to spicy in English. If your idea of Chinese food is the ubiquitous standard fare, such as Egg Foo Yong, Happy Family and Kung Pao Chicken, you may ask for the American menu. Often times, first time customers will order from both menus so that they can enjoy a more rounded experience.

At Sichuan Bistro, a true culinary expedition starts from the instant you taste the savory appetizers. The assortment of cold dishes includes chewy strips of dried beef with chili; shreds of sliced brisket and tripe; crunchy, slippery slivers of pig’s ear slicked with red oil, and chicken slices drizzled with red oil. Take the Five-Flavored Beef ($6.99) for example. It is seasoned with five flavors: minced garlic, ginger, scallion, pepper and parsley, which adds multiple layers of flavor and delights the customers when they take a small bite of the beef slices.

When talking about Szechuan cuisine, the peppercorns play a significant role in making this style of traditional Chinese cooking unique. With an intensely fragrant, citrusy flavor, it produces a tingly sensation in the mouth. If you happen to bite down on one of the peppers, you might find your head spinning a bit and a slight tickling in your nose. So pay special attention to the peppercorns hidden in the dish or soup. Peppercorn appears in nearly every dish on Sichuan Bistro’s menu, such as the Red Dry Chili Chicken.  

Not Just Hot Pot
Turning to the Szechuan specialties, Red Dry Chili Chicken cannot be overlooked. This dish sizzles with dried peppers, vibrating with flavors and emboldened with the cooling, numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. Despite the sometimes daunting flavor outburst, many adventurous foodies still go ahead and experience this thrilling culinary voyage. They’re always happy they did. After the explosion of flavor subsides, patrons usually will go ahead and take a few more bites even if they don’t usually eat spicy food.

Beer goes really well with Sichuan cuisine because those who aren’t used to eating spicy food will want to cool down after taking a few bites. By ordering a Tsingtao beer you’ll be able to eat any item on the menu then wash it down with a beer that enhances Sichuan flavors. 

The Water-boiled Fish is also a crowd pleaser, and the chef approaches it with a special twist, adding vinegar, peppers, and flavorful powders. In addition, the sweet potato noodles match well with the fish and are also quite nutritious. This innovative dish was invented by Sichuan Bistro’s chef who hails from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

The chef comes up with new inspirations according to the seasonality of ingredients. In the freezing winter, a hearty bowl of soup is everyone’s first choice when they get hungry. Hot pot takes the soup experience one step further by allowing patrons to truly customize their meal. Those who don’t eat spicy food need not worry; they can order a mild hot pot. At Sichuan Bistro, they employ the traditional Chengdu divided hot pot, with one half filled with peppers, red chilies and peppercorns, and the other with light-flavored chicken broth or sparerib broth. This style of hot pot dining caters more to American palates. It is really a special winter treat. With the steaming hot ingredients—usually mutton, lamb and beef slices cooking in the pot, customers can chat and help themselves to more sauces, such as peanut sauce, garlic sauce, and of course chili sauce.

Besides providing patrons with bold, tangy Sichuan offerings, Sichuan Bistro also serves authentic Shanghai cuisine which satisfies those with a craving for light flavors. The juicy Jumble Pork Meatballs ($10.99), tender Sweet & Sour Pork Tenderloin ($10.99) and somewhat fatty yet not greasy Steamed Pork (belly) with “Mei Cai” ($12.99) are all great options for a hearty meal.

The humble restaurant is always jam-packed with customers clamoring for authentic Sichuan cuisine. Procter & Gamble, a large international company, is situated near the restaurant, bringing a large number of Asian customers. The customers are never shy about showing their appreciation for Sichuan Bistro, one online review reads, “The best Chinese food in the Cincinnati area! We have become regular customers here in the past year, although it is almost a 30-minute drive from our home.”

Since opening in 2006, it has been covered by the Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati Magazine. Not content just doing a good job, owners Mr. and Mrs. Zhao are always looking for more ways to amaze customers.

“It is really a tough road, but we’re glad we are here serving up great Sichuan style food for everyone here in Mason, ” says Mr. Zhao.

If you are hungry for real Sichuan food, you don’t need to travel to Sichuan, China. Instead, just take a quick drive over to Sichuan Bistro, a hidden gem nestled in Mason, Ohio where you’ll be able to go on an impressive and unique culinary journey without having to board a plane.