Café China
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13 E. 37th St., New York, NY, 10016
212-213-2810
Known For
The lowdown
Of all the Sichuan restaurants in the city, this one is probably the chicest, outfitted with cool, vintage chinoiserie and pretty ceramics, old schoolroom-style chairs and blue-velvet-backed booths. And the food is very good, enough so to have earned a Michelin star — but the fact that it did is evidence that it’s also a bit reined-in, perhaps to please a milder palate, and some dishes leave you wishing they were spicier, saltier, and funkier.
What you need to know
Recommended DishesDan dan noodles; bang bang chicken; ma po tofu; spicy cumin lamb; Chungking spicy chicken; braised pork belly with pickled mustard greens.
DrinksFull Bar
Noise LevelCivilized