Gongs vs China Sichuan

I have a great social life these days - I was out on Friday night with a few neighbours and we went for a meal with Niall and Rita on Saturday night. Both nights were great. Really enjoyed them.

On Friday, we went to the China Sichuan in Sandyford Industrial Estate, and on Saturday to Gong in Stillorgan.

I guess this is the perfect opportunity to compare the two. 

Decor-wise, China Sichuan wins hands down. The new restaurant, while in a strange location (across from the Luas in Sandyford Industrial Estate, at the back of Microsoft), was purpose-built. It has two large dining rooms, decorated very tastefully. There is a hint of the orient, but very subtle. The lighting is warm. It feels very welcoming. Gong, on the other hand, with its choice of red and black, feels quite cold. 

Service was good in both places, though I have to say that the Eastern European waiter in China Sichuan was more polished than the Chinese waitress in Gong. I had had that Eastern European waiter before, and I had not been impressed, as he had been too chatty and informal with customers. But he seemed to have cleaned up his act, and he looked after us well, very professionally - he went through the various specials in quite a bit of detail, and, when we asked him to give us a choice of starters, he made sure there were a couple of wheat-free options for me. And for my main course, he made sure that the soy sauce was gluten-free, which he confirmed when he brought the dish over. That said, none of us got sick after eating at Gong, so the food must have been gluten-free.

Food-wise, I enjoyed both (once I realised that those little dark red bits in Gong's Prawn with Ginger, Scallion & Chillies were the chillies, and very hot ones at that! And here I was wondering why my mouth was burning!). Gong have a lot of the staples from the old China Sichuan (including one of their main waiters, by the way). But China Sichuan have new and interesting dishes, especially if you try out the specials. 

Price-wise, I think Gong offers better value, but our bill at the China Sichuan on Friday night was less than I had anticipated. Apparently, China Sichuan offer a very good lunch (starter & main course) for €16, so a good way to try it out without breaking the bank.

My verdict: for a special night out, China Sichuan offers better atmosphere, but I'm not sure I'd go there on a Monday night for an easy family meal out. Gong is up and coming and one to watch. By the way, they seem to have dropped the Korean part of their menu. I guess Ireland is not quite ready for a Korean restaurant (I know I'm not!).