Mountain House

Mountain House on Brighton Avenue gives an Allston dinner plenty of Sichuan heat. The menu runs from double-cooked pork and mapo tofu to la-zi chicken, spicy boiled beef and fish dishes. Pay attention to the descriptions: several chicken and fish preparations come with bones. Order a few dishes for the table and give the vegetables some room, too; stir-fried cabbage and water spinach offer different textures alongside the meat. Mushroom and beef stone-pot rice is another option for building out the meal. The restaurant’s Chinese-inspired dining room makes this a sit-down dinner worth planning around, especially with friends who want to share and compare dishes.