Chuan Ban
Chuan Ban
Chuan Ban (5 Gongyuan Toutiao, Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing) — this bright, modestly decorated dining hall is frequently cited as Beijing’s best Sichuan restaurant, partially thanks to being part of the Sichuan provincial government representative office. Sichuan cuisine is famous for its spicy, numbing flavors, but Chuan Ban can also do subtle. There’s also plenty for gentler palates – follow the star ratings to gauge the burn.
There are classics like shuizhuyu (fish boiled in a spicy, oily broth), lazi ji (diced chicken literally buried under a mountain of scorched chilli peppers) and Kung Pao chicken – for a twist on the latter, go for the Kung Pao frog. The mashed potato with pickled cabbage takes the edge off of dishes like the spicy bacon fried in chilli and the chilli-meets-green pesto flavor of the “tingle pepper chicken”.