So it’s no secret that California has some of the best Asian food around. So you already knew that I would be looking for one of the best spots while I was visiting. After some extensive research, I knew that Szechuan Impression needed to make the list of places I visit in California. It’s located in Alhambra which is in the western San Gabriel Valley and totally worth the drive.

Szechuan Impression

Everything on the menu sounded amazing so my friend and I decided to share and may have ordered way too much food. That’s a good problem though – then we had leftovers! We started the meal with Impressive Cold Noodles which was actually a brilliant idea. Even though these were on the spicier side, they were cold so it helped cool our mouths down before anything became overwhelming. The egg noodles were topped with sprouts, crushed peanuts, scallions, and a peppercorn sauce. I’m drooling just thinking about this dish.

Impressive Cold Noodles

The spiciest dish we ordered was the Wok-Fried Free Range Chicken with Rattan Pepper. When we ordered it, the waiter even asked if we were sure because it was that spicy (there are three peppers next to it on the menu). But we had committed and I was so glad we did. Yes, it was spicy, but not unbearable. The chicken was juicy and the sauce was spicy. Even though we could only eat a few bites before needing to drink a ton of water, I would for sure order this dish again.

Wok-Fried Free Range Chicken with Rattan Pepper

I’m all about french fries, so the Szechuan spiced fries were pretty much calling my name. The Street Corner Potato Strips were fried and topped with chili powder, peppercorns, cilantro, and scallions. While these fries were super tasty, I did miss having a sauce to dip them into.

Street Corner Potato Strips

My favorite dish of the night was for sure the Toothpick Mutton. The lamb was strung on toothpicks and then fried and probably one of the best dishes I’ve had this year. It was crispy, and spicy, and a must order. If you leave Szechuan Impression without ordering the toothpick lamb, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Toothpick Mutton

The last dish we ordered was the Wonton in Chicken Broth. The broth was rich and full of flavor and the wonton was filled with delicious minced pork. This was another winning dish.

Wonton in Chicken Broth

Szechuan Impression is located at 1900 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA

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