Fiery Shanghai

Though this family-run restaurant in Pleasanton is named after Shanghai, the menu also heavily features the signature spicy dishes of southwest China’s Sichuan Province. In one meal, you can get a taste of the contrasting flavors of these two regions: try mapo tofu for the mouth-numbing spices of Sichuan, and braised pork belly in brown sauce for a lighter, mildly sweet taste of the greater Shanghai region. This place also makes a great squirrel fish using tilapia, and topping it with shrimp for a little something extra.