Dining Guide

Old Thousand

Inspired by the wild-card tile in mahjong, this neighborhood eatery connects on a lot of levels. Want a gin joint that slings up saucily named cocktails like a Fo’Shizi (shizi is Chinese for “persimmon”)? This is the spot. Under the watchful gaze of a crown-bedecked panda bear, a talented crew recruited from hot spots like Uchiko and Thai Kun presents a menu that’s less about authenticity and more about tastiness. Our favorites were the feather-light sunchoke fried rice and the char siu emboldened by a profusion of cilantro and red onion. The ma po tofu came deep fried with just a hint of mala sichuan peppercorn, and the kung pao cauliflower used a profusion of peppers to punch up that often insipid crucifer. Except for their distinct crunch, the cool strands of jellyfish were almost indistinguishable from the cucumber noodles they came with.