Mala Sichuan Bistro

"Like highway billboards and humidity, Mala Sichuan Bistro is part of what makes Houston, well, Houston. The classic Sichuan spot has captured hearts and minds with each of its five locations in different neighborhoods. Every dish sees the mala peppercorn influence, especially the water-boiled fish with free-floating peppercorn bombs in a green and chili-swirled broth. Which is a meal we now keep on regular rotation." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas

"With five restaurants opened in a little over a decade, Mala Sichuan Bistro has established itself as Houston’s favorite for numbing-inducing mala prawns with crispy rice crackers, dan dan noodles, and mapo tofu. Though Mala Sichuan’s first location opened in Asiatown, owners Cori Xiong and Heng Chen now have locations throughout the city, including its most recent expansion to the M-K-T development in the Heights." - Brittany Britto Garley, Lane Gillespie

"With five restaurants opened in a little over a decade, Mala Sichuan Bistro has established itself as Houston’s favorite for numbing-inducing mala prawns with crispy rice crackers, dan dan noodles, and mapo tofu. Though Mala Sichuan’s first location opened in Asiatown, owners Cori Xiong and Heng Chen now have locations throughout the city, including its most recent expansion to the M-K-T development in the Heights." - Brittany Britto Garley, Lane Gillespie

"Corkage fee: $10 Everything at Mala Sichuan is delicious. Getting to BYOB is just a bonus. Like the crimson red oil dumplings with sweet pockets of pork or the acid-spiked water-boiled fish broth that will have you wondering if you’ll ever have feeling in your tongue again. Balance out the lingering numbing effect and mouth-watering spice of Sichuan food with a couple of bottles of something sweet, maybe some large-format saisons, or, hell, just throw a big-bodied red in there and let that spice ride." - chelsea thomas

"Nothing says birthday camaraderie like experiencing collective taste bud numbness brought on plates and plates of pepper-spiked Sichuan food. Mala Sichuan in Chinatown (the original of five locations around the city) has an entire menu of Sichuan classics. Pile a group of folks around a lazy susan and split mountains of red oil dumplings, dan dan noodles, and bowls of water-boiled fish. The food at Mala is likely going to impress everyone, and will keep you fighting over each and every last bite. " - gianni greene, chelsea thomas