Shinsen

This cozy Yanaka Ginza dining hall's mapo dofu and rice (¥1,000) is rich with Sichuan pepper. The sauce, layered on top of the rice, owes its spiciness to green chili peppers and a significant amount of Sichuan-variety pepper, producing a well-balanced and delicious dish with a 'la' (spiciness) that doesn't go overboard. The most noteworthy thing here, however, is that a well-seasoned dish at this price is almost impossible to find elsewhere.