Szechuan Mountain House

One of NYC’s best Chinese restaurants has opened in L.A.—or, to be more precise, Rowland Heights’ Pearl Plaza, which also houses Eat Joy Food, a 2023 Michelin Bib Gourmand. A koi pond, fake gingko trees and yellow lanterns lend an air of serenity to the dining room, in sharp contrast to the trial by fire your taste buds are likely to experience with several of Szechuan Mountain House’s signature items, which include traditional and modern Sichuanese recipes. For a walk on the mild side, opt for tamer delights like the twice-cooked pork, yibin-style ran noodles and the Insta-worthy swing pork belly. Otherwise, sweat through bites of the la-zi chicken, a mala (numbing spicy) dish that comes served in the head of a shovel and other chili-rich items like “hot spicy pork kidneys.” Just be prepared for the wait, which can stretch out to an hour or more on the weekends (though Mountain House does take reservations for parties of six or more, Monday through Thursday).