There’s “Chinese” food and then there’s authentic Chinese food. Most of D.C.’s Chinatown restaurants and neighborhood take-out joints specialize in Americanized Chinese food (as well as seafood, subs, and fried chicken). General Tso and his chicken may not originate in the motherland, but it and other American-ified dishes are almost genre of food in and of itself. Still, China is a huge country with highly distinct regional cuisines. If you’re willing to travel into suburbia, you can get a taste of the real deal. Here we’ll highlight some familiar dishes, along with a few geographic specialties.

Photo by dracisk

Dim sum

Where: Oriental East, 1312 East West Highway, Silver Spring.

In Cantonese, dim sum means to touch the heart. These tiny plates and steamer baskets of dumplings, buns, and other snacks are China’s answer to a tapas brunch. Only served on the weekends, patrons line up as early as 10 a.m. for a table at the cavernous Oriental East in Silver Spring. Bring a friend (or five), as you’ll need help eating the dazzling selection of comestibles, served by an army of waitresses pushing carts around the dining room. Stand-out dishes include the pork buns, har gow (shrimp dumplings), pai gwat (pork spare ribs with black beans), wu gok (taro balls), and lo bak gaw (radish cake).

Also Order This At: A&J Restaurant, 1319 Rockville Pike in Rockville or 4316 Markham St, Annandale, Hollywood East Cafe, 11160 Veirs Mill Rd. in Wheaton.

Dan dan mian

Where: Sichuan Jin River, 410 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.

You can often judge the authenticity of an ethic restaurant by its clientele. Sichuan Jin River is packed with Chinese families on the weekend, ordering heaping platters of stir fried green beans, scallion pancakes, and noodles drowned in chili oil. Sichuan food is known for being spicy, but many of its dishes also cause a signature numbing sensation thanks to the Sichuan peppercorn (which is not really a pepper at all). The dan dan mian at Sichuan Jin River strike the perfect balance of heat and numbing—chewy noodles are shot through with sweet morsels of pork and just the right amount of bright orange, oil-based sauce.

Also Order This At: Joe’s Noodle House, 1488 Rockville Pike in Rockville.

Mapo tofu

Where: Great Wall Szechuan House, 1527 14th Street NW.

Mapo tofu is another Sichuan staple, mingling heat, numbing, and the earthy, fermented funkiness of chili bean paste. Great Wall is one of the few restaurants in D.C. proper that gets Sichuan flavors right, and it’s no surprise that it was a popular pick among our staff list. This homey platter of tender tofu, minced pork, and scallions is a favorite of DCist contributors Pat Padua and Matt Siblo, along with the mala double cooked pork.

Also Order This At: Sichuan Pavilion, 1814 K Street NW.

Photo by aliciagriffin

Dumplings

Where: China Bistro, 755 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.

A good dumpling is hard to find, which is probably why China Bistro does such brisk business. Don’t let the bland strip-mall storefront fool you—these are the dumplings you’ve been looking for. China Bistro makes 12 different varieties of dumplings by hand, each with a juicy, flavorful filling enclosed in a thin, tender pasta skin. Dumplings can be ordered boiled or pan-fried (we prefer fried) and come with a vinegar-soy dipping sauce. You can also place a takeout order for uncooked dumplings, which can be cooked at home the same day or frozen for later. Try the Mama’s Special (pork, shrimp, and vegetables), beef and celery, or shrimp and chives.

Hot Pot

Where: Mala Tang, 3434 Washington Boulevard, Arlington.

If you’ve never eaten Sichuan hot pot before, imagine a fondue party but with really spicy soup. Diners choose an assortment of meat, veggies, or bean curd and then cook it in a bubbling cauldron of broth atop each table. Foods take on the flavor of the broth which intensifies as the meal wears on, resulting in tears and runny noses if you order it spicy. There’s also a sauce station, where you can concoct all manner of dipping sauces using chili peppers, soy, garlic, ginger, peanuts, sesame paste, and more. Hot pot is usually a group affair, but Mala Tang is specially designed to accommodate small parties as well. If you’ve got a crowd, you can also try their sister restaurant, Uncle Liu’s (2972 Gallows Road, Falls Church).

Photo by . . . every.seven . . .

Peking Duck

Where: Mark’s Duck House, 6184-A Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church.

Mark’s Duck House has been serving whole or half Peking ducks for 20 years. Fat is flavor, and no where is this more true than when it comes to Peking duck. Careful cooking techniques are employed to maximize the skin to meat ratio, resulting in cinnamon and star anise-scent bird with a glossy, shatteringly crisp skin. The carved duck is accompanied by a stack of steamed pancakes, scallions, and hoisin sauce. Use these items to fold yourself a tasty duck burrito, but be careful not to overdo it on the delicious duck skin.

Also Order This At: Peking Gourmet Inn, 6029 Leesburg Pike in Baileys Crossroads, Duck Chang’s, 4427 John Marr Dr. in Annandale.

Mumbo sauce

Where: Your neighborhood Chinese take-out

D.C. doesn’t exactly have much on, say, New York when it comes to Chinese food. But we do have one thing to call our own, and that thing is mumbo sauce. The sticky, sweet condiment lies somewhere between ketchup and plum or duck sauce can be found in carry-out joints across the city. It’s best if reserved for the non-Chinese items on the menu, like French fries or fried chicken.