Of all the Chinese regional cuisines, Szechuan is the one you are most likely to be ushered away from, even by the people who run the restaurant. Ask for a menu, and you’ll be handed some broken-English list of take-out standards. Ask for the “real” menu, and you will have to pass a brief interview about what you’re looking for, if you know what you’re getting into, and whether you’re qualified to get into it. It’s understandable, since the staff… [More]

Formerly known as Umma’s, Spring Restaurant is the Holy Grail of gastroventurists, that ultimate hidden gem concealed inside an Asian supermarket. This Korean dive is in a humble alcove at the top of Pal-do market, staffed by fairly crabby folks who might prefer watching their TV show to making your dining experience all you dreamed of. If you catch them on a good day, though, they might hover over you, showing you how to mix and match certain sauces and… [More]