Judy’s Sichuan Cuisine: Chinese Food with a Cult Following

A ragtop rally. A winter sojourn. A few days at sea.

Whatever the journey, one constant awaits upon returning home, as predictable as the stack of mail. It’s a craving for Judy’s Sichuan Cuisine.

Straightaway, I’ll be at the Pembroke location pinching chunks of cold chicken in hot chili oil with chopsticks or at the Chesapeake location sharing favorite dishes with friends at one of the big round tables.

My Judy’s Sichuan habit—rather addiction—took hold in 2012 shortly after owner Judy Sun opened the Pembroke location. As The Virginian-Pilot’s Staff Epicure, I had heard from chefs and industry workers that the little, non-descript eatery hidden behind the K-Mart (now Floor & Decor) was the place to eat.

Since then, Judy’s has grown to two locations. Her authentic cuisine has developed a cult following locally and was ranked by Yahoo as the No. 1 Chinese restaurant in the state. 

Judy Sun, a native of the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia, traveled to the U.S. to visit friends and decided to stay. She had a university degree and held a white collar job in China, but she spoke no English. Determined, Sun took classes and practiced on coworkers and clients at local Chinese eateries where she worked.

One day, she brought homemade dumplings to work, and her coworkers were amazed. She began dreaming of opening her own restaurant, and with luck and perseverance, her dream came true. Today you can enjoy Sun’s amazing dumplings in her restaurants served either pork or vegetarian style.

The signature flavors of the lengthy menu of authentic fare are garlic, chili peppers, and the namesake Sichuan pepper. Take a moment while dining here to consider the magic of these unique peppers as the fire on your palate recedes to a pleasant numbness.

I’ve tasted almost every dish on the menu—and a few that aren’t—but there are several that I keep coming back to. 

For starters, Steamed Chicken in Hot Chili Oil, $8.95. Uniform chunks of cold chicken and a handful of peanuts arrive in a glistening, crimson oil flecked with bits of peppers. It’s a fiery dish for sure, but I’ve learned to satisfy my slightly-above-average tolerance for heat by pinching around most of the peppers with my chopsticks.

I almost always order the green beans. Touted as Sautéed Green Beans, $10.95, they are actually stir fried. It’s a generous mountain of vegetables, slightly crispy, slightly salty, and perfectly al dente. You can taste the freshness.

Eggplant in “Yu-Shiang” Sauce, $12.95, is another standout, a dish so complex that you have to stop and wonder between bites. Eggplant slices are cooked into a silky tangle in a traditional Chinese sauce made with chili peppers, garlic, onion, and plenty of fresh ginger nibs. 

Addictive. Period.

Judy offers so much more. Dry braised lamb, smoked tea duck, and steamy pots of soul soothing tomato and egg drop soup. More adventuresome palates might opt for a pork chitterlings and tofu hot pot or black pudding—duck blood tofu in a beef and tripe stew.

Still, parents can be confident that their progeny’s more, ahem, delicate palates will be satisfied. Start them with the green beans and then the Salted & Pepper Fish Filets, $16.95, slightly crispy fried strips of white fish that might dull adolescent cravings for American fast food.

Most of the spicy dishes on Judy’s menu can be altered to suit the palate of the diner. And the portions are more than generous. My favorite way to enjoy Judy’s is to come with a group of friends, settle into one of the round tables with the lazy susan turntable at the center and share a half dozen or so dishes.

At Judy’s, no one leaves hungry. 

Food Find: 

Judy’s Sichuan Cuisine
www.judyssichuancuisine.com
328 Constitution Dr. • Va. Beach
757-499-2810

-or-

1434 Sam’s Dr. Unit 12 • Chesapeake
757-410-5822 or 757-410-5805
smiley1960@yahoo.com

Mon.-Thu.: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Va. Beach location closed Tues.
Chesapeake location closed Wed.

Appetizers: $3.95-$10.95
Vegetables: $10.95-$12.95 
(some at market price)
Cold dishes: $2.95-$10.95
Rice and noodles: $8.95-$16.95
Soup and pots: $6.95-$19.95
Beef, lamb & pork entrees: $14.95-$17.95
Seafood entrees: $14.95-$16.95

Lorraine Eaton, formerly with the Virginian-Pilot, is co-author of the “Food Lover’s Guide to Virginia,” and author of “Tidewater Table,” a local bestseller. She has won numerous writing awards, and her work has been included in “Best Food Writing.” Lorraine lives in Va. Beach.