"If your friends aren’t cool with spice, this may not be the dinner for you. This Chinese restaurant on 163rd Street uses enough Sichuan peppercorns to clear the sinuses of an entire kindergarten class (and their teacher) who’ve come down with the common cold. Although there are options here that won’t have you sweating, in case you have a couple of spice outliers at the table. The shareable entrees and plethora of huge round tables make this place perfect for an affordable meal with friends you’re comfortable getting sniffly around." - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer
"This Chinese restaurant on 163rd Street uses enough Sichuan peppercorns to clear the sinuses of an entire kindergarten class (and their teacher) who’ve come down with the common cold. For proof of this fact, order the excellent mapo tofu or one of the whole fish options covered in a blizzard of chopped chilis. Halfway through both of those dishes, your entire mouth will feel like it’s being tickled by hundreds of tiny lightning bolts. Like most spicy restaurants, your server lets you select a heat level. Medium is a safe choice. If you ask for the utmost spice, they’ll look deep into your soul to determine if you actually mean it." - ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino, virginia otazo
"This Chinese restaurant on 163rd Street uses enough Sichuan peppercorns to clear the sinuses of an entire kindergarten class (and their teacher) who’ve come down with the common cold. For proof of this fact, order the excellent mapo tofu or one of the whole fish options covered in a blizzard of chopped chilis. Even if you’re not chasing a mala rush, there are still dishes here for you, like the chicken wontons floating in a broth dotted with little islands of chicken fat. The sharable entrees and round tables make this place perfect for a group dinner, so come with friends you’re comfortable getting sniffly around." - ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino
"This Chinese restaurant uses enough Sichuan peppercorns to clear the sinuses of an entire kindergarten class (and their teacher) who’ve come down with the common cold. For proof of this fact, order the excellent mapo tofu or one of the whole fish options covered in a blizzard of chopped chilis. Even if you’re not chasing a mala rush, there are still dishes here for you, like the chicken wontons floating in a broth dotted with little islands of chicken fat. The sharable entrees and round tables make this place perfect for a group dinner, so come with friends you’re comfortable getting sniffly around." - ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino
"This Chinese restaurant on 163rd Street uses enough Sichuan peppercorns to clear the sinuses of an entire kindergarten class (and their teacher) who’ve come down with the common cold. For proof of this fact, order the excellent mapo tofu or one of the whole fish options covered in a blizzard of chopped chilis. Even if you’re not chasing a mala rush, there are still dishes here for you, like the chicken wontons floating in a broth dotted with little islands of chicken fat. The sharable entrees and round tables make this place perfect for a group dinner, so come with friends you’re comfortable getting sniffly around." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino