Boston Finally Found a Decent and Authentic Sichuan Restaurant

Location: Hanto Restaurant 📍 380 Union St, Ashland, MA 01721 Hands down the strongest Sichuan/Hunan cuisine in Boston, maybe even all of Massachusetts! 😋 The snacks are also a must-try! My friends and I are super picky eaters, so a strong recommendation from them means it's legit. 🙌 Let's be real, so many Boston restaurants have been slacking... one worse than the other. 😩 I finally made the trip to this place after hearing about it forever. Don't judge it by its name or decor! 👀 The owner seems to be from Northeast China (or there's a Tianjin-born owner too), but the chef REALLY knows his Sichuan food. We ordered a bunch of dishes, and NONE were disappointing! ✅ Stinky Tofu 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 UNBELIEVABLY crispy stinky tofu! 🤯 Crispier and juicier than many places I've had in China, with perfect air pockets. One bite and I was transported back. ✈️ Spicy Cold Jelly Noodles (Shangxin Liangfen) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The jelly noodles are hand-scraped! 🥢 The seasoning is perfectly balanced (hard to describe haha). It's not just spicy or sweet—you can taste the thought behind it. So refreshing and not greasy at all! 👍 Stir-Fried Chicken with Peppers (Xiao Jian Ji) 🌟🌟🌟🌟👍 The chicken was SO tender and flavorful! 👨‍🍳 The clams were also super fresh. Yum! Everything else was on point! We even craved salted egg yolk potato shreds (not on the menu), and the owner kindly had the chef make it for us! 😭 The Tianjin-born owner was so sweet, he even gave us some of his homemade buns to take home! 🥡💖 PS: They said if you have a family gathering, you can pre-order Northeastern Chinese dishes! They're experts at it, but it's off-menu—just ask in advance. 🤫 I promised the owner I'd post this... a week ago lol. 😅 Going back with friends TOMORROW! 🚗💨 Conclusion: The real gems are outside Boston. 😌 #BostonStudyAbroad #BostonLife #BostonFood #BostonFoodExploration