Hunan House

Chairman Mao's Red Braised Pork Belly

Fat-threaded slabs of pork simmered in soy, Shaoxing wine, and sugar until collapse-tender with a lacquered, rust-colored glaze — the defining dish of Hunan cooking

Steamed Fish with Chopped Preserved Chili

Whole fish blanketed in a glistening mound of fermented red chilies that steam into the flesh, delivering sharp, vinegary heat in every bite

Smoked Pork with Garlic Shoots

Thin-sliced cured pork with a pronounced smokehouse character, stir-fried with young garlic shoots that cut through the richness

Dry-Fried Green Beans

Blistered and chewy string beans tossed with minced pork and preserved vegetables — the benchmark version of a dish done everywhere but rarely this well

Spicy Beef with Cumin

Thin strips of beef wok-tossed at high heat with cumin and dried chilies — a northwestern-inflected Hunan preparation with a smoky, aromatic finish

Stir-Fried Lotus Root

Crunchy cross-sections of lotus root in a light vinegar-soy glaze — a textural contrast to the meat-heavy menu that regulars rely on

Mapo Tofu

Silken tofu in a fermented black bean and chili sauce — the Hunan version skews spicier and less numbing than Sichuan interpretations