Dongpo

The mapo dofu (¥2,500) here is awash with dusky-red Sichuan pepper, as becomes clear from the intensity of both the aroma and the appearance of the dish. A mouthful or two will leave you with the oral equivalent of pins and needles, but compared to the numbing 'ma' half of the flavor, the spicy 'la' side of things is relatively tame, which mercifully means that the pain won't linger on your tongue for very long. As practice makes perfect, those able to overcome the initial shock may soon find themselves addicted to this dish.