Crocodile Palace at The Little Fleet — Restaurant in Traverse City

I was craving Asian or Middle Eastern food and decided to give Crocodile Palace a try. BEST DECISION EVER!

We ordered the crispy pork, grilled & chilled romaine, and pork dumplings. Everything was perfect; delicious, fresh, bold, and with generous portions. This protein, vegetable, and appetizer fed two adults and we could barely finish it all. The pork could not have been more perfectly done, the dumplings were sumptuous and wonderful, and the grilled & chilled romaine was astonishingly delicious (we actually fought over who would get the last bite!). It was all on the spicy side, but then again we did dump chili oil on every bite; it was fantastic!

There is no seating in the restaurant and the outside tables were already taken so we grabbed some beverages from the convenience store next door and drove around the corner to the Civic Center & ate at a picnic table. It was a wonderful evening and I can't wait to go back and try more dishes. Also the remodeled interior makes it look totally new & modern inside, a big improvement from before.

Here are two tips that we'll remember for next time though: the crispy pork didn't come with rice, so be sure to order some on the side. Also, ask for an extra cup of their chili oil condiment because it's almost good...

Amazing and authentically tingly Sichuan. Incredible use of chilis and flavors. For 3 people we shared the Dan Dan Noodles, Salt Cod and chicken fried rice, bok choy, mapu tofu, the wantons, and the green beans. I haven’t had flavors so on point since I was in China. Don’t miss this spot!

Each dish was stunning and it is impossible have a favorite. If you do not like spicy, the fried rice is a good mild choice while still being delightfully flavorful. The noodles we stirred up to really toss the chilly oil and get them nice and spicy. The green beans were a delightful highlight- seasoned perfectly and fried only the way a wok can accomplish. Even if you don’t like tofu you’ll love the rich and silky complex flavors of the Mapu Tofu. I would get all again. And again. And again.

I was the lucky winner of the left over Dan Dan noodles and am going to fry an egg on top of them for...

My family was up north for a holiday stay-cation and when my husband asked what I was craving for dinner last night, I admitted that what I really wanted was excellent Szechuan food like you'd get in China (or in a big city with a sizable Chinese immigrant population) but that I wasn't sure that was something you could even get in Traverse City. Little did we know! Crocodile Palace is phenomenal. We were so happy and impressed with what we ordered last night (thrice-cooked rice cakes, dan dan noodles, pork dumplings, cucumber salad) that tonight we giddily decided to try a few more things on their menu before we leave town tomorrow. SO good. (Just be aware that it's not white-people spicy, it's actual spicy, and you'll probably want a side of rice to balance all the different types of heat...