Jianguomen | Chuan Ban

Chuan Ban is one of the finest Sichuan restaurants in the city—naturally since the government officials from the Sichuan province have their representative office in the same building. Chuan Ban does a textbook version of this dish (¥18) that takes an extra 20 minutes to prepare as the bird needs to be killed first. The sauce here is spicy and leaves your tongue numb and the pre-cooked peanuts give the dish a rich fragrance that complements the spice well.

Find it: 5 Gongyuantoutiao Hutong, Jianguomenwai Avenue, 东城区建国门内大街贡院头条5号, Tel: 6512-2277 ext.6101

Dongzhimen | Hua Jia Yi Yuan This restaurant earned its reputation for reinventing traditional dishes with a healthy twist. The kung pao chicken (RMB38) here is lean but tender and the peanuts are cooked in a flash under intense heat—served fresh and crispy. With a lighter sauce, the textures and taste of the chicken are more pronounced, all the bettter to savor the peanut, chicken and pepper combination. The advantage of this lighter version of sauce is that it allows you to enjoy other dishes since it won’t numb your entire mouth like typical Sichuan fare would.

Find it: 235 Dongzhimennei Avenue, 东城区东直门内大街235号, Tel: 6405-1908, 6403-0677

Nanluoguxiang | Luo Gu Dong Tian

Although kung pao chicken is not even on the menu here, it is one of the most ordered dishes (¥14). Apart from the fresh and tender diced chicken breast, the real glory of this dish lies in the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The sauce goes easier on the spice and is sweet and thick. Here, the peanuts are drenched in the sauce and soak up that kung pao essence. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, this glorious chicken medley is a humble dish that won’t set your mouth on fire.

Find it: 104-1 Nanluoguxing 东城区南锣鼓巷104-1号, Tel: 8402-4729