Melissa S.
Yelp
I currently live in the Binghamton area, so I was familiar with their second location in Vestal and wanted to see the original. The exterior of the place looks kind of run-down, but the moment you step inside you get a shock of how gorgeous the interior ambiance is. So please, don't let that stop you from trying this place!
I have tried many of their dishes, such as the Cold Sesame Noodles, Soup Dumplings, Spicy Crispy Style Fish, Cumin Style Chicken, and Dried Sautéed String Beans that I get again and again. But I'd also like to offer some unique options of my own you might not have considered.
The Fermented Cabbage & Fish Soup. My family was hesitant at first, but it turned out to be one of the best soups I've ever had. It definitely has that little fermented sour kick to it, but it was so flavorful and delicious with fish that melts in your mouth.
The Sauteed Squid with Pickled Red Hot Pepper. I love squid dishes in general (ojingeo-bokkeum is my fave Korean dish, for example) and this one is incredible. The sourness of the pickled peppers mixes so well with the spicy sauce.
If you're hesitant to try Szechuan food, any of the "classic Chinese" dishes you'd see at an Americanized Chinese place are winners. All of them are such good quality, especially the Beef with Broccoli. You can't really go wrong, but I would definitely recommend trying the Szechuan food because it's amazing.
If you're unfamilar with the cuisine, just note that some dishes like Mapo Tofu have Szechuan peppercorns, which have a numbing-spicy effect, so when they ask how "spicy" you want the dish, that's what they mean. It's completely different than what most Americans recognize as "spicy" so it might be worth going mild for your first try.
Some things do seem a little different here from my home Red Chili in Vestal, but they're both great and I will keep coming back again and again!