Baltimore Food Review · Lao Sze Chuan (JHU Location) 🥢🌶️

Finally – some real competition in the area for Chinese food! This new Lao Sze Chuan branch opened right around the corner from Menya Ramen. 🏙️ Though honestly, the location’s track record isn’t great… places here tend to open and close quickly 🫣. Hoping this one lasts! 📍 Address: Lao Sze Chuan 3224 St Paul St, Baltimore, MD 21218 The menu is noticeably smaller and more Americanized compared to the Rockville location – kind of a “light version” of the original. Street parking only 🚗, and the staff is mostly American with typical U.S. service style. We ordered one appetizer + two mains + egg fried rice. Total came to ~$40+ per person, but we took about 1/3 home. So realistically, $30–35 should be enough if you don’t over-order like us 😅. 🍚 Scallion Egg Fried Rice - $9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The star of the meal! Huge portion, delicious flavor – only downside is they use jasmine rice. Still, way better value than plain rice ($1.5). I got three extra meals out of the leftovers! Strongly recommend. 🐑 Tibetan Cumin Lamb - $26 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good quality lamb, well-balanced fat/lean ratio, nice cumin flavor. A bit salty though – not for light eaters. Portion is decent but not huge. 🐖 Braised Pork Belly - $22 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tastes like Dongpo pork – slightly sweet, skin-on, and very clean. About a dozen big chunks (though two were all fat). The quail eggs inside are delicious! 🍆 Five-Spice Fried Eggplant - $11 ⭐⭐ Not recommended. The coating is thick and hard, overshadowing the flavor. The eggplant itself was super oily. Good taste, but not worth it. Waiting to come back after they’ve officially settled – hoping they improve and live up to the Lao Sze Chuan name! 🙏 #DMVEats #BaltimoreFood #DMVDining #ChineseFood #FoodReview #JHU #BaltimoreEats #Foodie