For spice-fiends and authenticity-hounds, Chopsticks + Marrow has a useful audio guide on how to order authentically spicy Chinese food in Mandarin. Or, if the pronunciation proves too tricky, Queens local Joe DiStefano recommends Flushing spots like Lao Cheng Du and Cheng Du Tian Fu, where Sichuan heat is guaranteed. [C+M]
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