Sichuan · Beijing
AA's PickMala House
8.4/10$$Chinatown, Beijing, China
By Alex Anthony · August 28, 2026
A pocket-sized Sichuan counter that treats numbing heat as a craft, not a dare. The mapo tofu alone is worth the queue.
AA's Hits
- Dan dan noodles
- Mapo tofu
- Cumin lamb
There are flashier Sichuan rooms in the city, but few that get the balance of ma and la this right. The kitchen leans on freshly toasted peppercorns, and the tingle builds rather than ambushes.