"If it’s your first time at Chong Qing Special Noodles, order the noodles, any noodles. The thick, bouncy hand-pulled strands at this homey San Gabriel are magical on their own, and even better paired with tingly-numbing Sichuan broths, rich meat sauces, and sizzling chili oils. We've yet to try one that didn't leave us in a hypnotist-level trance. Dine with a group of three or more and the staff will gift you an order of spicy cold "saliva chicken" for free, so named for the way it makes mouths water. Round out your meal with chilled jelly noodles and their Sichuan dumplings, flat pork-filled semi-circles with chewy skins. The chili crisp heaped on top will probably induce a runny nose, but it’ll be worth it." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder