Restaurant of the Week (9/14/26-9/20/26) Chengdu Taste

Chengdu Taste is a Michelin Bib Gourmand Sichuan restaurant that has earned a reputation for bold, authentic cooking. Known for its unapologetically spicy and tongue-numbing dishes, the Alhambra original helped introduce many Angelenos to the distinctive combination of heat and Sichuan peppercorns known as mala.

The restaurant opened in Alhambra in 2013 and has since expanded to additional locations, but its original Valley Boulevard restaurant remains a major part of the local dining scene. A 2025 Time Out Los Angeles review describes Chengdu Taste as the trailblazing Alhambra restaurant that helped put mala on the culinary map for Angelenos, while also highlighting its lighter style of Chengdu cooking. The restaurant’s reputation extends well beyond its spiciest dishes, with longtime favorites ranging from toothpick lamb with cumin to mapo tofu and Sichuan-style mung bean jelly noodles.

Hot, mouthwatering dishes seasoned with mala and other Sichuan spices dominate the menu, but there are plenty of options for diners who prefer milder flavors. Toothpick lamb with cumin, dan dan noodles, and the couple’s sliced beef (fuqi feipian) showcase the depth of Sichuan cuisine without relying solely on heat. Each brings its own combination of spices, aromatics, and textures to the table.

Open daily for lunch and dinner, Chengdu Taste remains a destination for Sichuan food in Alhambra. The restaurant can get busy during peak meal times, so visiting outside the busiest hours can make for a more relaxed meal. For anyone looking to experience the Sichuan cooking that helped put this Alhambra restaurant on the map, Chengdu Taste is a longtime local institution worth exploring.

Chengdu Taste
828 W Valley Blvd Alhambra