Lao Ma La

At this ode to the tongue-tingling Szechuan peppercorn (responsible for the numbing effect known as “ma la”), the focus is on hot pots, skewers and “grilled fish in pan” (basically hot pot with a big fish in the pot). Copious amounts of chilies are stuffed into every dish here, but the spice level nevertheless remains manageable. In fact, you might even find yourself wanting for more punch. If that’s the case, order the “House Special Spicy Boiled Fish,” a dish that pops with the fire of dried chilies and those awesome namesake peppercorns.