Bun's House 四川冒菜

Solid spot for Sichuan takeouts in Medford. Whenever I'm heading back from a weekend trip to the North Shore, I love swinging by this spot for a quick Sichuan takeout. With reasonable prices, solid flavors, and speedy prep, it's my go-to for those days when I just want good food without the fuss. As usual with old-school Sichuan restaurants like this, I kept it classic here—dry-fried chicken, twice-cooked pork, fish fillet, and etc. The default spice level was just right—not too overpowering—and all the flavors were on point. My favorites so far were the house special catfish fillet and the Sichuan-style cold noodles, which come as a nice bonus for online orders over $50. While I won’t go out of my way to come here on a normal day, it’s still a good choice if you are in the mood for something simple and satisfying. Worth a stop if you’re in the area.

The Sichuan cuisine here is very authentic. The couple's lung slices taste great, and the double-cooked pork is also good. Their spicy beef is really good, and those who like spicy food should not miss it.

As you can see in the picture, I had already finished eating, paid the bill, and even left a tip. I only noticed this when I was packing up my leftovers. At first, I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it—it’s not like it was a cockroach or a rat. The place was packed, and I knew they had just opened, so I tried to be understanding. I quietly called a staff member over to let them know. But when they came, instead of addressing it, they just kept stirring the maocai broth and poking around (even though the worm was floating right on top). After we pointed it out and scooped it up for them, they said they’d check with the chef. When they came back, they kept insisting, ‘That’s not a worm, worms are round, not flat’ and ‘It’s just the skin of a mushroom.’ By that point, only the outer shell was left, but when I picked it up with chopsticks, it was still thick and hard. Hearing that kind of response was honestly frustrating. I told them, ‘I’m 100% sure this is a worm. I’m not asking for anything—if I wanted to make a scene, I would’ve just called it out loudly instead of quietly letting you know.’ Then, while they went to check with the chef again, I just left. The maocai was only about $20—I never wanted compensation, just a decent attitude. But finding this after I had already eaten was seriously gross. I tried to be considerate, but the way they handled it was disappointing. Just sharing this so people know what to expect in terms of quality and service.” I replaced “fished it out” with “pointed it out and scooped it up” for a smoother flow. Let me know if you want any further tweaks!

The food was extremely tasty and flavorful. The Fried Shredded Potatoes, sauteed Diced chicken with chili peppers, and "braised pork basil in brown sauce" were all very tasty. The staff didn't speak much English but they were polite, we came with a Chinese friend who ordered for us

update at 09/03/2023: had food yesterday, ordered 麻婆豆腐，but the tofu is soulful and tasted bad. They canceled the dish for us but they did not say sorry or apologize at all! Bad for the service. Will update it to one ⭐️ only… disappointed 😔 about it because I went to this place a lot.. but not any more. update at 02/19/2023: had take out and got 凉面 for free. When it is taking out, it is much better flavor than you dine in.. again, 四川回锅肉- Double cooked poker belly and 麻婆豆腐 is recommended. Change it to 5 stars this time. Had it for multiple times. Good place to have Chinese food nearby. Ordered fried dumplings as appetizer but not recommended, the skins are too thick. 虾仁豆腐- Tofu with baby shrimp is good, if the tofu is fresh, it will be perfect. Will order again. 夫妻肺片- Sliced beef, Omasum and Tendon is always good to have in Chinese restaurant, but it is a little bit too salty here. 四川回锅肉- Double cooked poker belly is good except a little bit too salty as well. In general, it is okay.