The fiery dishes spiked with Sichuan peppercorns began arriving on the table, but Tang Xiulan and her friends remained transfixed by a television screen above the restaurant's front door showing images of rescue efforts in their home province.
The past week has provided the most they had seen or heard of Sichuan since they immigrated to the United States -- some a decade ago or more.
Unlike Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, the cities of Sichuan are largely unheralded overseas. Landlocked by mountains and far from global trading centers, many Sichuanese lacked the means to emigrate.
But Monday's earthquake has thrust a community used to being overlooked and misunderstood to the forefront of Southern California's bustling Chinese American community. For the Sichuanese who gathered for lunch Thursday at Chung King restaurant in San Gabriel, it was a bittersweet experience.
"We feel extreme sadness," said Tang, a nanny. "The only way Sichuan is being mentioned now is through this tragedy."
It's been a nightmarish week for the lunch group, many of whom met after overhearing one another speak Sichuanese at a supermarket.
The Chinese community in the United States was founded mostly by Southern emigrants from China's coastal regions. That's why the Cantonese and Taishanese dominated Chinatowns for decades. That changed with the influx of emigrants from Taiwan, then Beijing and Shanghai.
Though there are no statistics available, observers say Sichuanese immigrants began arriving steadily in the San Gabriel Valley in the 1990s. Many took the route of earlier immigrants by seeking jobs in restaurants or the import-export business. The number of Sichuanese living in Southern California is unclear because they lack the family associations and student groups that are ubiquitous with emigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan and areas of mainland China.
Sichuan has a rich culture and is home to the Giant Panda. It's partly isolated in south-central China because of its mountainous topography. As such, a distinct dialect and renowned cuisine prospered.
"I liken it to Louisiana," said Yong Chen, a professor of history at UC Irvine. "They're like the Cajuns because they have their own language and very popular spicy food."
Of course, immigrants are quick to point out that the "Sichuan cuisine" served in many American restaurants is a bland, watered-down interpretation of the authentic version -- often served by Cantonese. Sichuan's hot and humid climate is conducive to sweat-inducing spicy food.
