Sichuan Fandian--Flavor Bounces Back in Favor

History adds extra flavor to the Sichuan Fandian. The restaurant opened in 1959 at the instigation of revolutionary hero Chen Yi, who wanted somewhere to enjoy the tastes of his home in distant Sichuan.

A number of other important Communist leaders, including Deng Xiaoping and Liu Bocheng, also hailed from the spicy southwest, so Premier Zhou Enlai gave the nod (and the name) to the project. He chose the beautifully preserved palace of a certain Prince Xun, one of the many sons of Qing Emperor Kangxi, as the location. The esteemed Sichuanese literary figure Guo Moruo, a leading light of the so-called United Front formed by the Communist Party with a number of small non-communist parties, wrote the calligraphy for the restaurant's sign.

 

So far, so good. Government leaders and diplomats were served in style, while top chef Chen Songrun traveled occasionally to the leadership compound in Zhongnanhai to cook for stay-at-home Chairman Mao. Unfortunately, the Sichuan connection lost its luster after the Cultural Revolution began in 1966.

Mao's wife, Jiang Qing, believed "capitalist roader" Deng Xiaoping to be plotting with Wu Han, Deng Tuo and Liao Mosha, the Sanjiacun writers vilified by Jiang and her cronies, during meetings in a "black room" of the Sichuan Fandian. She ordered her loyalists to confiscate all the contents of the restaurant and drive the staff out. The doors subsequently remained closed until 1973.

Sichuan came back onto the menu along with the return of Deng Xiaoping to favor. The Sichuan Fandian reopened to resume its former functions, and even restored its former sign, which manager Chu Tugen had hidden under the floor to preserve from Jiang's hooligans.

Life then proceeded quietly until 1995, when the management decided to go commercial. After launching a joint venture with the HK China Club to set up the Beijing China Club in Prince Xun's courtyards, the restaurant opened another outlet in the palace of Prince Gong, who happened to be one of Xun's brothers.

"We always get the best places," jokes general manager Jia Baozhong. Two more Sichuan Fandians followed, and more are on the cards. In the original restaurant, only one room was open to ordinary diners; now, anyone who can afford it is welcome to try what Jia claims is the finest Sichuan cooking in the capital.

The management is keen to widen perceptions of what constitutes Sichuan cuisine. Most people think of it as characterized by hot spices, but Jia says the hot stuff only accounts for 20 percent of the total. Most of what diners commonly associate with Sichuan is actually jia chang cai ('homestyle dishes'), says Jia.

This is the ordinary food of the poorer classes. The Sichuan Fandian serves it --"the best in Beijing, " according to Jia -- but concentrates on more upmarket offerings, which to an untutored tongue, at least, suggest that the Sichuan elite thought Cantonese cuisine was what they really should be eating. There is a lot of seafood on the menu, although the dishes are all prepared from dried seafood since Sichuan is an inland province. All the original staff at the Sichuan Fandian were sent to Beijing by the Sichuan provincial government. Staff from elsewhere have since been taken on, but the restaurant keeps close contacts with the major cities in Sichuan to keep abreast of the latest trends in Sichuan cooking. "We want to show customers the real Sichuan cuisine," said Jia.