Chang Chang

No sooner did Chang Chang open in Dupont Circle last fall than it became the top spot for Chinese in Washington. My only quibble is how long it took for the esteemed chef, Peter Chang, to feed the District as superbly as he’s done over the years in his many restaurants in Maryland, Virginia and beyond.

Dishes you’ve tried in other Chinese places taste like truer, elevated versions here. The delightful roar of Chang Chang’s kung pao chicken is matched by the pedigree of the star of the show — free-range chicken from D’Artagnan — and fried walnut prawns steer clear of the usual cloying glop thanks to a velvety glaze of condensed milk and orange juice. Wrinkly green beans tossed with pickled cabbage, part of some of the best takeout in recent memory, whisks me to Sichuan, the Chinese province famous for its bold flavors.