Restaurant: Hsu's Szechuwan Cuisine Location: 9350 F/G Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA Phone: (858) 279-9799 Price Range: Lunch $5.55-$6.75, dinner $6.95-16.95

Number of visits: many
Last visit before review: June 30, 2001

Randy has had: Mongolian barbecue, broccoli beef, curried chicken, tai-chen chicken, hot tea.

Jeff has had: Mongolian barbecue, beef with green pepper, cashew chicken, curried chicken, hot tea.

Rating 7 (of 12) Good

Randy says: I like the Mongolian barbecue but it needs more vegetables, especially mushrooms. One time I asked why there are no mushrooms and the waiter told some story about some people being allergic to mushrooms so they could not offer them. It would also be really nice if there was a way to get more ginger and garlic. They're just tiny bits floating around in a container of water so it is hard to get much of them.

Jeff says: For the most part I like the Mongolian barbecue, but since we often go later at night, they put just the tiniest bit of meat out. You can ring the bell and ask for more of whatever you want if there's not enough there, but I don't like the hassle of that and usually just have whatever dregs are sitting there. The pockets have a nice grainy flavor and texture but do not separate well so it is hard to stuff them with the contents of the barbecue bowl.

Randy says: I had the broccoli beef on the lunch special, and I don't remember much about it except that I know I haven't really liked anything on the lunch special. The curry chicken is well seasoned with a nice balance of flavors but excessively greasy, and sometimes too salty.

Jeff says: I love the curry chicken. This is my favorite dish. It's not offered on the lunch special, so I sometimes get this in lieu of the multi-course special. The curry is tasty and not at all spicy. I didn't notice it being too salty until Randy mentioned it one time. When I do get the lunch special, I get either beef with green pepper or cashew chicken. Both are good. Both soups on the lunch special, hot & sour and wonton, I could do without and usually take only a few spoons full, but I love the fried noodles they bring with the soup. I usually pawn most of my soup off on Randy. The egg roll that comes with the lunch special is extremely greasy.

Randy says: I'm not interested in the rice or the incredibly greasy fried egg roll that comes with the lunch special, and the dishes available are on the bland side so I tend to order off the regular menu instead. The hot tea is a perfectly drinkable oolong, which isn't bad considering the swill most places serve.

Jeff says: We were afraid to try the tai-chen chicken because we didn't know how we would like it. It turned out to be really good. It was flavorful and a little sweet. I like this as much as the curry chicken. I think the tea is very nice.

Jeff used to work practically next door to Hsu's, and it was nice to go somewhere for lunch that didn't require a car trip. Hsu's has a large dining room decorated with Chinese art. Melodic Chinese music plays on the sound system, but we've noticed it's always the same every time we go.

Hsu's is one of the few Mongolian barbecues in San Diego. A Mongolian barbecue is much like a buffet in that there is a selection of meats and vegetables you pile into a bowl (although there aren't many vegetables at Hsu's barbecue). You then give it to the cook who stirs it around masterfully on a big wok-like grill until everything is cooked. Usually you stuff the barbecued food into hot, fresh baked pockets. At Hsu's, the Mongolian barbecue dinner includes all-you-can-eat barbecue and pockets. At lunch it's one trip to the barbecue and no pockets. Like everything else on the lunch special, it comes with soup, rice, and egg roll. Lunch and dinner come with hot tea and for dessert, fortune cookies.

The prices at Hsu's are a bargain, and the staff is friendly and efficient. While we haven't found great Chinese restaurants in San Diego, Hsu's is one of the best we've tried, and Jeff still likes to go even though he now has to drive there instead of walking.