Da Xi

This reviewer studied abroad in Chengdu, in Szechuan province, and has been searching ever since to rediscover those exceptional flavors. That quest finally came to a delicious end at Da Xi, the unlikely palatial restaurant on the second floor of Flushing’s New World Mall, above the Main Street stop at the end of the 7 train. (The service, however, can be oddly confrontational: “That’s spicy!” “That’s cold!” “That’s a lot!”). Mix the shredded potatoes with the Chengdu-style sautéed pork for the kind of culinary adventure that will have you pining for these sumptuous tastes for years, too. Keep a bowl of black fungus salad handy as a refreshing—if sharp—palate cleanser, and wash down the spice with sour plum juice. Presentation highlights include the $1.99 dry Tibetan pork ribs served in a flowery birdcage and a fried dessert (K5 on the Chinese menu only) served as doughy little red bean–filled pears (replete with smart burnt-carrot stems). We were back later that week, waiting for the restaurant to open. And we were not in line alone.