Best of Boston

Canny gastronomes make it a habit to trail MIT’s international students to the area’s top home-style Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American spots. So when we heard that Mary Chung was a hit with the grad students, we immediately set out to investigate. Befitting its Szechwan focus, the menu at this friendly Central Square hole in the wall is heavy on the heat. Start with the zesty Yu Hsiang eggplant and the dan dan noodles with shredded chicken, and finish up with the less-spicy crispy duck, which comes off the bone tender and juicy.