Over at the recently opened Zhu Dang on Capitol Hill, on a menu of “updated Chinese” food, I found a tartare that stands out among the many I’ve had recently. The Mongolian beef tartare, though listed as a small plate, is really quite plentiful and easily worth the $14. Made from Snake River Farm wagyu beef, it’s thoroughly fresh-tasting, and amped up with a dark, seductive house chili sauce that, besides chili oil and chiles, also has a touch of sesame oil. While sesame oil can kill a delicate dish like this, they are careful here to use it sparingly. I also love that they serve the sauce on the side, so you can mix in as much or as little as you wish. Crisp lotus-root chips to eat it on are bland, but that’s likely intentional, and fine by me. Crackers and chips with too much flavor would war with the tartare. A refreshing salad complements the dish.

nsprinkle@seattleweekly.com