Chin's Szechwan - Point Loma

**What separates this from the competition:** While Tandoori House down the street built its reputation on tandoor heat and precise spice calibration, Chin's operates in a different register entirely—this is a Sichuan kitchen that doesn't soften the numbing tingle of Sichuan peppercorns or apologize for the oil slick on your mapo tofu. The differentiator isn't novelty; it's longevity paired with technique. The lunch specials ($12-ish, generous portions) pull the Midway office crowd on repeat, but the real tell is how many regulars bypass the Kung Pao entirely and go straight for the salt-and-pepper wings or the mapo tofu—dishes that reveal whether a kitchen actually understands wok heat and seasoning balance.

The space feels like it hasn't changed much in two decades, which is either charming or dated depending on your tolerance for formal table service and zero ironic design flourishes. Staff are polite, efficient, and not particularly chatty—they're here to deliver food, not curate your experience. On a rainy Saturday, expect minimal wait times but slightly slower service once you're seated. The hot and sour soup comes in shareable portions; the mapo tofu delivers the kind of heat that builds rather than punches.

**Parking and practicalities:** Street parking on Rosecrans can be tight during lunch rush. Takeout and delivery are available if you'd rather skip the dining room. Reservations accepted, which matters more for weekend dinners than weekday lunches. The lunch specials (Kung Pao, garlic chicken, fried rice, lo mein) are the go-to move for first-timers testing the kitchen's baseline competence before committing to the deeper cuts on the menu.