Alley 41

True to its name, this Sichuan stalwart does not sit in plain sight. A short walk off Flushing’s Main Street leads to an interior that is equally unexpected: A stylish corridor of concrete, curved wood chairs and elegant panel screens. The menu, now entirely electronic, is lengthy but the glamorous photos are accurate reflections of what’s to come. Chicken dumplings sitting in a pool of red chili sauce, and tender rolls of pork belly with sesame cold noodles are sensible starters for a meal that ramps up quite quickly thanks to a lightning-fast kitchen. In a flash, the table crowds with fiery bowls of mapo tofu and cauldrons of braised beef spiked with roasted chilies. Indeed, chilies, spices and heat are used to powerful, delicious effect.