Scott W.
Yelp
Your favorite Yelp correspondent handpicked Sichuan Pavillion after gamely searching for a replacement for Tai Shan, his former Szechuan Chinese go-to destination when he used to frequent WDC during his Fortune 100 career.
But the sum of too many unforced errors, especially in the hit and miss results with our dishes and lackluster service from the staff, compel a subpar, two-star rating.
We ordered:
Appetizers Hot & Sour soup and green scallion pancakes. The former was good- Hot and piquant, ideal for warming cold bodies after buffeting swirling winds all day. The latter was mediocre, perfectly fried on the top edges yet undergone and flaccid on the bottom;
Entrees Chicken Lo Mein, Kung Pao Chicken and Orange Chicken. Of the trio, only the kung pao passed our test- Spicy, pleasing mouth textures commingling green onions, heat, 5-spice and peanuts. The orange chicken was oversized and almost sacharine sweet, with little to no heat whatsoever. The chicken lo mein was so so.
The mood of the restaurant starts with a pleasing note, as you're escorted to your (comfortable) seats amid a cozy yet well appointed dining room...but it closes with a sharp, discordant note that ruins your meal.
At 9:15pm, with a stated closing time of 10pm, my wife and son were presented with the bill and abruptly told "Time to leave" by our server.
I've never had this happen to me in 35yrs of dining in 41 of our 50 majestic states and a handful of foreign countries!
Even though I pride myself on being a generous tipper, I could not force myself to tip more than $7 on a $95 tab. Aggravated that my bride of 28yrs and adult son, who.is an ordained minister at George Washington University, were treated in such a brusque and patently offensive manner!
You've been warned, fellow Yelpers, avoid Sichuan Pavillion, especially if you're within an hour of their stated closing time!