Chengdu Gourmet

Chengdu Gourmet is our preferred group meeting spot, where we abandon our meal prep plans and go all out for family-style Sichuan dishes. They do great pan-fried dumplings and scallion pancakes, but the dishes from China’s Chengdu region are the ones to prioritize. Go for the minced pork-loaded dan dan noodles and crispy cucumbers with a garlicky dressing that you’ll go crazy trying to replicate at home. Also good are the fragrant Xinjiang-style cumin beef with onions and red peppers and a side of Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce. They’re BYOB, so before dinner, head to the nearby Cuvée Bottle Shop for a nice Pinot Noir to complement the cumin and garlic flavors, or grab a four-pack of crisp pilsner from Independent Brewing Co. to cool the heat.