Szechuan peppercorns were a bit hard to come by — even taboo — as recently as five years ago. Thankfully, for Boston’s culinary flamethrowers at least, times have changed. Take a look at our city’s current crop of northern Chinese cuisine and you’ll find this floral, citrus-y, tongue-numbing spice in a myriad of menu items. Hard to believe it once shared space on the proverbial blacklist with booze and raw-milk cheese.
At Somerville’s Szechuan Bay, the piquant peppercorns turn up in classic dishes like Szechuan dan dan noodles ($4.50) — where they’re flecked throughout a tangle of spaghetti-like strands, chili oil, and crispy bits of caramelized ground pork — and in the fiery beef in spicy chili sauce ($10.95). And if you really want to add flame to the fire, order the lightly fried triangles of family-style tofu ($7.95), tossed with a generous helping of both bell and chili peppers, or the diced chicken with hot-and-spicy sauce ($8.95). The craggy chunks of deep-fried chicken pack more-than-respectable heat, and a touch of something salty (and maybe almost sweet) provides a bit of relief for those with numbed taste buds. Or take a break from chili with a helping of jumbo shrimp with yu-hshiang sauce ($11.95).
Szechuan Bay, located at 1295 Broadway, in Somerville, is open Monday through Thursday, from 11 am to 10 pm; on Friday and Saturday, from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm; and on Sunday, from noon to 9 pm. Call 617.628.0018.
