The Ginger Pig

The story here begins with Chef Natascha Hess's time as an exchange student in Beijing, where her host family taught her the fundamentals of Chinese home cooking, lessons that sparked a full-bore culinary passion. After several trips back to China, her travels broadened to include Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok and more—a catalogue of flavors that she then translated into a hugely popular food truck, eventually becoming this lively, rustic brick-and-mortar location (though the truck can still be seen parked in front). It's clear that Chef Hess’s time abroad was well-spent: from hearty boiled pork and cabbage dumplings dressed with chili oil to stir-fried cabbage with Thai chili jam, the cooking bursts with flavor, including a healthy dose of heat.