Turning up the Heat Part 3 - Ba Ren

**** Ba Ren has closed

Well finally....I guess it's about time I get around to this. In part 1, I posted on revisits to China Chef and Dede's. In part 2, it was a revists to Si Chuan Garden Spicy City, complete with the requisite drama. But what is there to say that I haven't covered in one of my many posts? To make things worse, after a while you kinda get in the habit of ordering the same thing on every visit.

  

 

 

 

I mean how many posts on Cold Chicken in Spicy Sauce, aka "Saliva Chicken" can one write?

Over the last few visits we've broken away, and ordered a couple of items we hadn't ordered before, or had ordered on previous visits and had not particularly cared for. Of course, after so many visits, I really don't break out the camera much anymore. But here are a few we took photos of.

Lamb with Green Pepper:

 

If you think this is bell peppers, you're in for a bit of a surprise. It's not super spicy, but the peppers are also a bit sweet, and have that familiar "green" flavor of bell pepper. The lamb was melt in your mouth tender, with a nice soy flavor.

On one of our recent visits, Wendy, the wonderful woman who runs the front of house, remembered I was Japanese. She told the Missus, that the several regular Japanese customers love this dish, Stir Fried Beef with Pickled Mustard Greens:

 

And I can see why, if you love Zha Cai, you'll love these....in fact, if you love Tsukemono, and the slightly bitter flavor of mustard greens, you'll love this. It is just mildly spicy, but full of savory flavor. One of these days we'll ask Wendy if they can make a version of this with lamb.

Like any restaurant, anywhere, not everything at Ba Ren is a home run for us. I recall one really nasty Bamboo Pith Fungus dish I had several years back..... And this Dried Fish with Eggplant dish will not make our rotation.

 

The eggplant was done perfectly, but the chewy slices of what I imagine is reconstituted fish was just salty, and not much more. The dish was flat, and lacked depth.

And I guess if there's any reason to do a post on Ba Ren, it's for the seasonal menu. We haven't had the chance to check out much of it yet, but heck....maybe another post after I do?

On this visit we had the first item on the menu, the cumin lamb ribs. Not much meat on this, but man the flavor! If you love gnawing on bones....and maybe having a Tsingtao or two.

 

And there's a new menu of hot pot dishes as well.

 

We ended up ordering the lamb hot pot...which was a pretty massive cauldron.

 

This was pretty spicy, and had a good amount of Sichuan Peppercorns and herbs....just like Huo Guo. There's more than enough to start a major "heat-buzz", but not enough to melt your stomach lining.

Within the writhing red liquid were large pieces of lamb(the braising portions), bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, and other stuff.

  

Some Napa Cabbage leaves, and vermicelli noodles were also provided to add even more "bulk" to the hot pot.

This was way too much food for the Missus and I.

 

A dipping sauce of minced garlic, sesame oil, and scallions was also provided. The drill was that you'd add a spoonful of the hot pot broth to the bowl, and utilize that as a dipping sauce.

 

One more important note......on our last visit, we noticed that Ba Ren had dropped the prices on most of their dishes by $1-$2! When we asked Wendy about the price drop, she told us, "it is because taxes have gone up, and the economy is tough.

Also on our last visit we realized something..... we've been coming here for about six years! It just seems like yesterday when I made that u-turn on Diane Avenue, and noticed that a new Chinese Restaurant had opened up. Time sure does fly!

Ba Ren
4957 Diane Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Comments

[Jim T]

Kirk, since you're the guy who single-handedly turned Ba Ren into a destination restaurant for all San Diego foodies, the owners should be giving you the food for free.

[Jenne]

I LOVE the beef with mustard greens!! I need to go back there soon.

[Dennis]

The skin on my face is getting that spicy itch with all the pepper photos! I'd lunch here more often if they had an individual portioned lunch menu. That or I should put together a Ba Ren lunch group.

[stephen]

I discovered this place after reading your numerous posts. I enjoy spicy food, but despite what I had read, I was not ready for the levels of heat. I had the dry-fried(cooked) lamb. It was delicious the first time. The second time, there was a miscommunication on my part regarding spiciness. In addition to the usual heat, there were a lot of japlapenos added to the top. WOW.
Now that I've recovered, I'm ready to go back, and try something else. Wish I could read the seasonal menu. Thanks for your many posts about Ba Ren

[foodhoe]

since I'm not in the area, but near a few sichuan restaurants, I'm tempted to check them out... except that my tastebuds are admittedly wimpy with hot peppers. But some of these dishes look so good, especially the hot pot and the pickled mustard greens!

[Sophia]

ahhhh...the infamous ma-la huoguo! I love it, actually, though the last time I ate it with my friends nobody seemed to dare to touch it except me! I love how the cabbage soaks up the red fiery broth and turns color!

[dave]

mmmmm that beef with mustard greens looks good. and i can probably handle the heat of it. the one time i went to ba ren i ordered the dry fried beef. it was too much for a sissy such as myself.

[Kirbie]

Ahh! I need to go back to Ba Ren. Must fit it into my schedule somehow...Thanks for posting the new seasonal menu!

[Carol]

We were there just a couple of weeks ago for lunch. We had the "Saliva chicken" and it was good. Of course we had to get the Cold Sichuan noodles.

We ordered the Dried Fish with Eggplant one other time and it wasn't our favorite. I don't think we even took the leftovers home.

The lamb ribs looks so good! I'll have to try that next time we're there.

[Blizzardi]

Kirk,

Can you identify the names of the dishes in the first few pictures for me? Everything just looks delicious!!

[Kirk]

Hi JimT - You know, I believe that Ba Ren would've done just fine without us. Plus, I think it's important that we pay for everything we post on, with very, very few exceptions.

Hi Jenne - That's good stuff!

Hi Dennis - For lunch, perhaps some of the "snack" items would be worthwhile, especially when it gets warmer.......Cold Sichuan Noodles are a staple.

Hi Stephen - I'll try to cover that menu in the future.

Hi FH - An interesting thing I've noticed is that while many folks don't do real well with chilies, they are ok with Sichuan Pepper, and visa versa....

Hi Sophia - I think just the look of it scares people away....but many times it's rreally not that spicy.

Hi Dave - Try out that dish...it's really good.

Hi Kirbie - I look forward to reading about your visit.

Hi Carol - Not too much meat on them bones, but the flavor was great.

Hi Blizzardi - No problem:

1 - Dry cooked lamb
2 - Hot pepper prawns
3 - Fish Flavored Eggplant.

[jeff c]

huo guo mmmmmmmm. so lucky kirk.

[Kirk]

Hi Jeffrey - You know, you're right, we are very lucky! BTW, how hot was it in your neck of the woods today?

[Jeff C]

It is now the 21st and we have reached 100 degrees. So early. I am dreading summer.

[Kirk]

Egad Jeffrey!!!

[Paul Jensen]

Having read you blog religiously for over a year, many of the places you review become my regular rotation. #1 is Ba Ren - first I was hooked on the ChongQing Hot pot (for nearly a year) now (the last 8 trips at least) my favorite has been the new hot pot menu. Today we had the pig hand hot pot but the ribs hot pot is my favorite). One of my co workers loves the rice crust dishes and has tried to make it at home but said it did not come out quite right. (During lunch today we heard that sizzle 5 times as other groups were served rice crust dishes). We cannot find a recipe on the net or in Land of Plenty, so, I wonder, could you possibly find a recipe for rice crust chicken? Also BTW, I hear there is a new all you can eat hot pot place behind 99 ranch $16.99 or $17.99, I think. I am looking forward to a review.
PAUL

[Kirk]

Hi Paul - You know, I've never even thought about making a rice crust dish. Let me check my recipes.

[Paul Jensen]

Awesome thanks - hey I found out the new all you can eat hot pot is at Mr. Dumpling ($17 grans opening special) which you've already reviewed. I hear the hot pot is nearly identical to Little Sheep- will try it tomorrow. Love your blog - thanks!!

[Kirk]

Hi Paul - I hope you received the recipe I sent you.