Three Men and an Appetizer

GORDY'S SICHUAN CAFE • 501 E 30th Ave. • 747-1170

It’s not as though Gordy’s is a secret. Boasting a tucked-away South Hill location and solid Sichuan cuisine that utilizes enough garlic per entrée to anti-oxidize your entire body, it’s been a hill-dweller staple for more than a decade. It gets most praise, though, for its entrèes. Everyone’s always “black vinegar snapper this” and “Yu Xiang Qiezi that.” We’d heard, though, that Gordy’s has killer first plates that often go overlooked. We thought we’d rectify that. (LB)

Chive and Prawn Dumplings ($9)
You won’t find these dumplings on the menu, but the chef frequently offers them up as a twist on the restaurant’s usual pork-and-cabbage version. They’re worth asking for. The steamed, tender dumplings come bathed in a salty and sweet soy sauce and when you bite in, you’re struck by a warm, earthy smell and rich flavors. Can I get an “amen”? Perfect for a fall day with an ice-cold brew. (JF)

Bon Bon Tofu ($6)
It’s always the same. Let’s take Nick the Vegetarian out! It’ll be SO funny to watch him eat tofu! Like it’s a zoo or something. Well, gentlemen, I’ll appease. This dish comes cold and fresh, but it’s unlike any salad that normally comes as prologue to a meal. Julienne carrots and cucumbers mix it up with thin slices of raw tofu on this small plate. All is drowned in the lightest, brightest peanut sauce I’ve ever tasted — it doesn’t sit in the gut like peanut butter. More like a weightless vinaigrette. This is no meal, but it’s a good place to start. (ND)

Sha Cha Green Beans ($10)
If anyone ever comes up to you and says, “I make the world’s best green beans,” stop them in their tracks. Be like, “Whoa there, partner, have you ever had the smoky, garlicky, sweet chili goodness of the Sha Cha beans at Gordy’s?” If they say no, tell them how the moo-shoo earthiness of the chili rub these beans get reacts with the dish’s chopped peanuts to create an explosion of Asian flavor. Chances are they’ll take back their idle boast. If you’ve never tried the Sha Cha Green Beans, please, do yourself a favor. (LB)

THE PEACOCK LOUNGE • 10 S. Post St. • 455-8888
Images of peacocks, with their dark panoplies of feathers spread wide, grace most of the surfaces here, but these peafowl don’t demand your attention. In fact, you almost have to search to find some of the well-coiffed birds and their brood. What does absolutely insist on your full concentration are the small plates during happy hour (which runs from 4 pm to 6 pm everyday). At half-price, these smaller concoctions please the palate and do a fine job at filling the belly for a steal. Order two. And a drink, of course, of which there are many. (ND)

Onion Rings ($3 at happy hour)
What’s better than a plate of hot, fried onion rings to share with a couple of buddies? These particular ones don’t stand out as being exceptional — onion rings are onion rings, after all — but the sweet and tender onions are nicely battered and lightly seasoned, along with ketchup and the house remoulade sauce. And during happy hour, it’s hard to beat the price. Throw in a frosty 20-ounce mug of beer and it’s a balanced meal with at least three of the food groups covered — onion, fried batter and beer. (JF)     

Cougar Gold Cheese Dip ($7 at happy hour)
Setting: my afterlife among the clouds. My plate: melted Cougar Gold cheese in a hot ramekin, a medley of olives and peppers at its side, toasted slices of baguette, a tiny bowl of cashews and an ice-cold beer. The thick, rich WSU-produced cheese melds refined culinary sensibilities with the most original and primitive comfort food. The tartness of the olives and the peppers’ heat help balance the opulent golden cream, while the cashews add a salty, solid component to the fare. Washed down with a hoppy IPA, life is complete. My god: kill me now. (ND)

Prawn-tini ($6 at happy hour)
It’s a general rule of mine that I don’t eat crustaceans that look like they might want to eat me back. It’s a thing I have. And so I was a little frightened when I saw the server bring out four massive shrimp sitting headfirst in a martini glass of cocktail sauce. Calling them tiger prawns doesn’t do them justice. These are like mastodon prawns. It was all right, though, because, despite their size, they didn’t taste overly fishy. Lightly dusted with bay seasoning, they were actually quite mild in flavor and went well with the citrus of my sidecar cocktail ($8.50). (LB)