Menu
Introducing Kuan Zhai Alley, a renowned Chinese restaurant in Irvine, CA. Specializing in Szechuan cuisine, this Asian-owned establishment offers a diverse menu with vegan and limited vegetarian options. The chef's specials like Dry Chili Chicken and Mapo Tofu showcase bold flavors and authentic ingredients. Customers rave about the generous portions, mouth-numbing spice levels, and modern ambiance. With offerings like Boiled Frog in Special Spicy Sauce and Peppercorn Boneless Beef Short Ribs, Kuan Zhai Alley immerses diners in an unforgettable culinary experience. Reviews highlight the impeccable service, quality dishes, and reasonable prices, making it a go-to spot for Szechuan food enthusiasts. Whether you're a spice aficionado or looking to explore authentic Chinese flavors, Kuan Zhai Alley promises a memorable dining experience.
Friendly Reminder
If you would like rice with your order, please order rice located in the Rice, Noodle, & Small Bites section.
Chef's Special Dry Chili Chicken
Crispy, boneless chicken, wok-fried with dry chilis, Szechuan peppercorn, and house made chili oil.
Mapo Tofu
Soft, silken tofu, ground pork, stir fried with our special mapo sauce, Szechuan peppercorns, leek, and black beans.
Twice Cooked Pork
Thinly sliced pork belly, wok-fried with our house made chili oil, black beans, jalapeo peppers, and leek.
Boiled Beef in Spicy Szechuan Sauce
Sliced beef, cooked in our special boiled beef sauce, layered over a bed of bok choy and bean sprouts. Topped off with garlic, green onion and a sizzling hot oil.
Crispy Shrimp with Lemon Sauce
Lightly breaded, crispy shrimp, tossed in a light and savory sauce made with freshly squeezed lemons.
Crispy Japanese Tofu With Salted Egg Yolk
Soft, silken crispy egg tofu, coated in a salted duck egg yolk sauce.
Black Pepper Boneless Beef Short Ribs
Boneless beef short ribs, wok-fried in a savory, black pepper sauce with onions and bell peppers.
Braised Pork Belly
Thick cut pork belly, braised in a sweet and savory sauce with quail eggs
Sliced Fatty Beef in Pickled Soup
Thinly sliced beef brisket, enoki mushrooms, and crystal noodles in a spicy and sour, pickled soup.
Szechuan Traditional Grilled Whole Fish
Whole, bone-in tilapia grilled over a bed of sliced potatoes, sliced lotus root, bean sprouts, and cucumbers in your choice of our spicy Szechuan sauce or non-spicy garlic sauce.
Chef's Special
Szechuan Cuisine
Boiled Frog in Special Spicy Sauce
Boiled Duck Blood, Tripe and Ham in Chili Broth
Duck blood, tripe, ham, pork intestine, beef aorta, bok choy, and bean sprouts boiled in our house made Szechuan sauce. Topped off with garlic, green onion, dry chilis, and a sizzling hot oil.
Peppercorn Boneless Beef Short Ribs
Boneless beef short ribs, wok-fried with fresh green Szechuan peppercorns and asparagus.
Sliced Fatty Beef in Peppercorn Broth
Thinly sliced beef brisket, soft tofu, and celtuce in a spicy, green peppercorn broth.
Steamed Beef w. Rice Powder
Stir Fried Grass Garp Fillet w. Celery
Stir Fried Chicken Gizzard
Chicken gizzard, wok-fried with pickled peppers and pickled long beans.
Stir Fried Pork Kidney with Pickled Peppers
Pork kidney and beef aorta, wok-fried with celery and wood ear mushrooms.
Stir Fried Beef with Cilantro
Sliced beef, wok-fried with pickled peppers, cilantro, green onions, jalapeo peppers, and garlic.
Pork in Garlic Sauce
Shredded pork tenderloin, wok-fried with celtuce, wood ear mushrooms, spicy pickled peppers, and green onions in a mildly sweet and savory garlic sauce.
Stir Fried Pork Peking Style
Shredded pork tenderloin, wok-fried in a savory brown sauce, topped off with sliced green onions. Served with six steamed buns.
Double Fried Pork Intestine
Crispy pork intestine, wok-fried with dry chilis, onion, and bell peppers.
Stewed Pork Intestine with Duck Blood in Clay Pot
Pork intestine and duck blood braised with pickled cabbage and pickled peppers in a spicy Szechuan sauce.
Stir Fried Chicken w. Mixed Chili Peppers
Diced chicken, wok-fried with jalapeo peppers, fresh green peppercorn, and pickled peppers.
Kung Pao Chicken
Diced chicken, wok-fried with peanuts, dry chilis, peppercorn, and green onions in our house-made kung pao sauce.
Kung Pao Shrimp
Wok-fried shrimp with cashew nuts, dry chilis, peppercorn, and green onions in our house-made kung pao sauce.
Stir Fried Shrimp w. Asparagus
Wok-fried shrimp with sliced asparagus and red bell peppers in a savory white sauce.
Stir Fried Shrimp with Scrambled Eggs
Wok-fried shrimp with scrambled eggs and green onions.
Boiled Spicy Hot Pot
Beef, shrimp, pork ham, chicken, lotus root, potato, cauliflower and crystal noodle in a spicy Szechuan hot pot base.
Sliced Beef with Chili Sauce
Thinly sliced beef shank and beef tripe tossed in our house-made chili oil.
Sliced Pork Belly in Garlic Sauce
Thinly sliced pork belly and cucumber slices drizzled in our house made chili oil and garlic sauce.
Chicken with House Special Chili Sauce
Bone-in, free-range chicken drizzled in our house made chili oil, sesame paste, and our chef's special sauce.
Okra Salad in Seasoned Dressing
Sliced okra, tossed in a savory chefs special sauce.
Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
Wood ear mushrooms and sliced onions tossed in a savory chefs special sauce.
Cold Noodle in Special Chili Sauce
Cold noodles on a bed of bean sprouts, drizzled in our house made chili oil and chefs special sauce.
Mung Bean Jelly in Special Chili Sauce
Mung bean jelly noodles and black beans, drizzled in our house special chili oil and chefs special sauce.
Cold Appetizers
Soup
Duck Soup w. Pickled Radish
Bone-in duck and pickled radish soup, slow cooked in a clay pot.
Pork Elbow Soup
Pork elbow and lima beans, slow cooked to bring out a rich bone broth. Pork elbow has a gelatinous texture.
Pan Fried Egg with Tomato Soup
Wok-fried egg and tomato in a clear soup.
West Lake Beef Soup
Minced beef, cilantro, and enoki mushrooms in a thick, starchy soup.
Combination Spicy Dry Pot
Beef, chicken, shrimp, ham, cauliflower, potato, onion and lotus root, wok-fried in a Szechuan dry rub seasoning.
Spicy Dry Pot with Chicken Wings
Crispy chicken wings, onion, potato, and lotus root, wok-fried in a Szechuan dry rub seasoning.
Spicy Dry Pot with Pork Intestines
Crispy pork intestines, onion, potato, and lotus root, wok-fried in a Szechuan dry rub seasoning.
Spicy Dry Pot with Fatty Beef
Thinly sliced beef brisket, onion, potato, and lotus root, wok-fried in a Szechuan dry rub seasoning.
Spicy Dry Pot with Cauliflower
Chinese cauliflower and thinly sliced pork belly, wok-fried with dry chilis and soy sauce.
Spicy Dry Pot w. Cabbage
Chinese cabbage and thinly sliced pork belly, wok-fried with dry chilis and soy sauce.
Spicy Dry Pot
Seafood
Spicy Stewed Whole Fish
Whole tilapia, grilled and baked in a savory, ma-la sauce and topped off with pickled peppers and green onions.
Steamed Whole Fish with Scallion
Seafood Platter w. Crispy Rice
Fish in Sour Pickled Broth
Boneless fish filet, crystal noodles, pickled mustard cabbage in a spicy and sour broth. Snakehead fish filet has a soft and tender texture. Grass carp fish filet has a crispy and crunchy texture.
Fish in Spicy Chili Broth
Boneless fish filet, cooked in our special Szechuan sauce, layered over a bed of bok choy and bean sprouts. Topped off with garlic, green onion and a sizzling hot oil. Snakehead fish filet has a soft and tender texture. Grass carp fish filet has a crispy and crunchy texture.
Fish in Peppercorn Broth
Boneless fish filet, wood ear mushrooms, and cucumbers in a spicy, green peppercorn broth. Snakehead fish filet has a soft and tender texture. Grass carp fish filet has a crispy and crunchy texture.
Shrimp Wontons in Bone Broth
Shrimp wontons in a savory pork bone broth. Comes with 8 wontons.
Fried Crispy Buns
Mini crispy buns, served with a side of condensed milk. Comes with 6 buns.
Dan Dan Noodles
Thin rice noodles, topped off with leafy green vegetables and seasoned ground pork.
Yang Zhou Fried Rice
Contains shrimp, ham, peas, carrots, and green onions.
Fried Rice
Fried rice, wok-fried with your choice of protein and our house soy sauce. All fried rice contains peas, carrots, egg, and green onions.
Lo Mein
Lo mein noodles, wok-fried with your choice of protein and our house soy sauce. All lo mein contains green onions and cabbage.
Flat Noodles
Wide rice noodles, wok-fried with your choice of protein and our house soy sauce. All flat noodles contain green onion and cabbage.
White Rice
1 bowl of steamed white rice.
Rice, Noodle & Small Bites
Vegetables
Stir Fried Seasonal Vegetables
Ong choy
Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy w. Garlic
Baby bok choy, wok-fried with whole roasted garlic.
Szechuan String Bean
String beans, wok-fried with minced garlic, preserved cabbage, and dry chilis.
Eggplant in Garlic Sauce
Eggplant, wok-fried with minced garlic in a slightly sweet, spicy, and savory sauce.
Spicy and Sour Sliced Potatoes
Thinly sliced potatoes, wok-fried with pickled peppers and vinegar.
Stir Fried Corn. w. Salted Egg Yolk
Crispy corn, coated in a salted duck egg yolk sauce.
Scrambled Egg with Tomatoes
Scrambled eggs and tomatoes, wok-fried in a savory sauce.
Ice Jelly with Brown Sugar
Clear jelly, topped off with hawthorn candy, green grape raisins, and sesame seeds. Drizzled in our house made brown sugar syrup.
Glutinous Rice Cake with Brown Sugar
Crispy, chewy rice cakes dusted in soy bean powder and drizzled in our house made brown sugar syrup.
Pumpkin Cake
Mini, crispy, chewy pumpkin cakes with a red bean filling.
Glutinous Rice Ball in Wine Sauce
Black sesame filled rice balls and egg in a sweet, rice wine sauce soup. Served hot.
Desserts
Drinks