I’ll start by saying that I ate the birria “machete” at Hunger Street Tacos three times in the span of a week. I, like many others, am hooked on dunking that giant heirloom corn tortilla into a spicy beef stew, but there’s already been a Dining-In Diary entry on Hunger Street (see May 6, 2020), so this week I’ll switch focus to Taste of Chengdu, the best Sichuan restaurant in town.
It’s no secret that Chinese restaurants have disproportionately suffered during the pandemic due to some good ol’ fashioned racism, and Taste of Chengdu is no exception. Chef-owner Tiger Tang has contemplated closing the restaurant, albeit temporarily, because business just isn’t there, and he’s uncertain as to when he’ll be able to open the second Taste of Chengdu location already underway in Baldwin Park. [Ed. note: now open, as of August.] But Tang’s a skilled perfectionist who continues to churn out the most impeccable dishes, be it the sautéed lamb in pepper sauce or the beef flank spicy noodle soup. Plus, the servers are as vigilant as ever when it comes to anti-maskers.
Tang is a culinary treasure in this city, arguably our finest chef, so get out there and get yourself a taste of Chengdu.
(Taste of Chengdu, 2030 W. Colonial Drive, 407-839-1983; also 4856 New Broad St., 407-286-4850, tasteofchengdufl.com)
This article appears in Jul 29 – Aug 4, 2020.
