Chinese food in Seattle is primarily Cantonese, which I find a bit boring generally and lacking in quality locally. (And don’t get me started on the dismal state of dim sum.) So I send you to the Eastside, where you can find spicy Szechuan fare. Bamboo Garden is the best of the bunch. There’s a regular menu for the timid, but I recommend taking a look at the “Walk on the Wild Side” menu. Here you’ll find adventurous dishes like swimming fire fish, pork tongue slices, and sour & spicy jellyfish. My favorite is the spicy cauldron called “the other parts of the pig,” with pork intestines, pig-blood cubes, tofu chunks, basil, and pickled cabbage in a tangy broth. If things heat up too much spice-wise, refreshing watermelon juice is at the ready for a rescue. JAY FRIEDMAN