Review: The Sparrow serves wide array of Sichuan cuisine in Midtown

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Once you know that the Sparrow has experience and money behind it, the restaurant begins to make sense. Even the lack of publicity seems calculated; Coleman said his team spent the first month learning what works in the neighborhood and adapting to the customers.

That said, the Sparrow feels fully formed and well-run. The attractive space walks the line between upscale and casual — suitable for anything from a quick solo meal at the bar to a date.

The food is what really sets the Sparrow apart though. Chef Heng Fu serves a wide array of Sichuan and Chinese American dishes that feel modern and elevated without becoming watered down. Almost anyone will find something to like on the menu, but spice lovers will thrive.

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Familiar dishes got a welcome upgrade, such as bang bang shrimp with a tart shot of lemon flavor or very crispy chicken served in a bird’s nest of fried noodles and a choice of house-made sauces.

The attention to detail in plating applied to the rest of the menu too. A plate of veggie spring rolls, served over a bed of pebbles, would have looked at home at a fine-dining restaurant.

And crispy pickled octopus was served with tentacles peeking out of spherical Indian panipuri shells. It was an impressive, tasty fusion dish — even if the pickled flavor didn’t quite come through.

The kitchen put the same care into more traditional offerings. Peking duck, featuring crispy duck skin over cool melon topped with caviar, was served with a bit of tableside flare from a stack of enamel steamers. At $40 for half a duck, the impressive two-person dish could be considered a bargain.

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

The well-prepared dry-fried eggplant had a thick coating that was both spicy and savory — offset by dense, almost sweet flesh, with no hint of wateriness.

The mapo tofu, a classic Sichuan comfort dish, was spectacular, with silken cubes of tofu swimming in a savory sauce that featured both hot and numbing spices.

For more adventurous diners, the chef’s specials menu explores texture in a way seldom seen in U.S. restaurants. For example, prawns with salted egg yolk were served deep-fried in their shells. After removing the heads, the prawns’ shells proved completely edible and added a deeper, more layered crunch.

In another dish, a whole pomfret was served in a savory sauce and covered in coin-shaped noodles reminiscent of dumplings in the Southern U.S.

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

Credit: Courtesy of the Sparrow

The Sparrow’s drawbacks mostly are attributable to its newness and compromises made as the restaurant finds its footing. The bar program is limited and, each time we visited, the restaurant had run out of basic items, such as Tsingtao beer and the rum used in one of the cocktails. And the lighting, especially at the front of the restaurant, was a bit too bright; you don’t want to need a flashlight to read the menu, but it shouldn’t feel like an office either.

If it can establish itself, it’s easy to imagine the Sparrow taking a big leap forward with a more ambitious bar program. It has substance and style; it just needs some buzz.

THE SPARROW