NYC Restaurants

Szechuan Mountain House is offering eye-catching presentations at its two locations in Flushing, Queens and the East Village. At the core are dishes that celebrate China's Tao culture. Look for things like Paper-Thin Pork Belly with Garlic Chili Oil that resembles laundry on a line with cucumber slices; Treasure Chicken on the Mountain, a stir-fried chicken dish served in a shovel with dried red chilis; and Steamed Vancouver Crab and Sticky Rice wrapped in a Lotus Leaf. Szechuan Mountain House is inspired by the bamboo chalets in Mount Qingcheng, the birthplace for the Tao culture, which promotes the focus, persistence, and finesse.

- Thomas Rafael