Jonathan Gold finds splendid spicy fried chicken at the upscale Chinese restaurant Dongpo in Arcadia

Let us contemplate for a moment the phenomenon of la zi ji, the known in Sichuan-style restaurants as spicy fried chicken, Chungking fried chicken, Chongqing spicy chicken, chicken with chilies, or spicy diced chicken.

Jonathan Gold • Los Angeles Times • June 2, 2016

Let us contemplate for a moment the phenomenon of la zi ji, the known in Sichuan-style restaurants as spicy fried chicken, Chungking fried chicken, Chongqing spicy chicken, chicken with chilies, or spicy diced chicken. A proper plate of la zi ji...

The full article can be read on the Los Angeles Times website.

6 great restaurants for spicy food

Jonathan Gold • Los Angeles Times • January 13, 2017

Spicy food is glorious stuff, particularly in times of duress, or when the weather is unreasonably chilly, or when you’ve misplaced that bottle of Double Chicken Brand Sriracha you still keep in your bag. So which restaurant to head for when the...

Jonathan Gold's 6 favorite Asian fried chicken joints in the L.A. area

Jonathan Gold • Los Angeles Times • July 1, 2016

Does Los Angeles live by Nashville hot chicken alone? No — not as long as there’s a universe of Asian fried chicken too. Max’s Restaurant Is Max’s the Coco’s of the Philippines? Yes, Max’s is kind of the Coco’s of the Philippines, the Glendale...

Review: Xiang La Hui in Alhambra serves spicy, complex Sichuan food

Bill Addison • Los Angeles Times • February 13, 2020

Mao xue wang — a spicy stew with origins in Chongqing, southwestern China’s megacity — always contains a patchwork of ingredients emphasizing varied textures. Xiang La Hui, a new Sichuan restaurant in Alhambra, serves an extravagant version....

At Hip Hot in Monterey Park, the crab is stir-fried with ungodly amounts of chiles

Jonathan Gold • Los Angeles Times • July 7, 2017

The Dungeness crab at Hip Hot, Tiantian Qiu’s Monterey Park Sichuan seafood restaurant, is stir-fried with ungodly amounts of chiles and Sichuan peppercorn, tossed with potatoes and vegetables, and served in a gleaming heap. It has been expertly...

The restaurant is called Legendary. But is it? Jonathan Gold sits down for showstopping Sichuan

Jonathan Gold • Los Angeles Times • December 30, 2016

Are you going to order the garlic shredded pork the first time you visit the Legendary Restaurant? You are probably going to order the garlic shredded pork. You may be expecting a stir-fry, but what is brought to the table looks like a tie rack...