A Szechuan Restaurant

Mapo Tofu

Silky soft tofu in a deeply reddish, peppercorn-spiked sauce with ground pork — the málà balance is well-calibrated and genuinely spicy

Dan Dan Noodles

Bouncy noodles in a sesame-chili sauce with preserved vegetables and minced pork — nutty, spicy, and addictive

Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil

Plump pork wontons bathed in a pool of fragrant red chili oil with garlic and sesame — a cold appetizer that hits immediately

Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

Wok-blistered eggplant with a sweet-sour-spicy garlic sauce — no fish involved, but the flavor profile is quintessentially Sichuan

Dry Pot Dishes

Customizable stir-fried proteins and vegetables cooked dry (no broth) in a fierce Sichuan spice base — deeply aromatic and intensely flavored

Kung Pao Chicken

The Sichuan original — not the North American takeout version; diced chicken with dried chilies, peanuts, and a sharp vinegar finish

Cold Sesame Noodles

Room-temperature noodles dressed in a peanut-sesame sauce — milder and a good counterbalance if the table is loading up on heat