Sonya Hu
Google
Truly cannot recommend this place enough -- Sichuan Jin River is my new go-to for authentic and delicious Chinese food! They have a wide array of my childhood classics, and they certainly take the "Sichuan" in their name seriously, so be prepared for some heat (and some numbing)! I came with a group of four on a chilly, rainy DMV evening, the perfect weather for some hot Chinese fare.
We got an array of seafood and veggies, including their Whole Fish & Bean Jelly in Hot Sichuan Sauce, Mapo Tofu (without the pork), Stir-Fried String Beans, and Crispy Rice Cake & Vegetables in White Sauce. It's hard to pick a favorite from that list since every single item was executed to perfection.
As far as the proteins go, the fish was delightfully tender and perfectly seasoned; the Sichuan hot sauce absolutely packed a punch and paired wonderfully with the steaming white rice. I appreciated that the kitchen allowed us to modify the mapo tofu to take out the pork, and I'm so glad we had the opportunity to try it! Like the fish, the tofu was super tender and the hot, numbing sauce was perfect.
The veggies were equally delicious -- the string beans were crispy on the outside and soft in the center, with a great char from the wok and a huge punch of flavor from the blackened garlic. Both the crispy rice cakes and vegetables were certainly crispy; the veggies were fresh and not too overcooked, and they paired wonderfully with the light white sauce. If you do order this one, definitely try to eat it quickly, though, as the crispy rice cakes will lose their battle with the sauce after 10-20 minutes and get a touch soggy.
Not only was everything delicious, but it was also super affordable! Our individual bills (not including tip, but including tax and two other meat dishes beyond what I listed above) came out to ~$20! Not bad at all for a DMV restaurant and a pretty hefty meal.
So if you're craving some authentic, no-frills Sichuan food at an affordable price point, definitely give Sichuan Jin River a try!