If you've got spicy Sichuan on the mind, Grain House has you covered with its third New York location. Located at 929 Amsterdam Ave. (between 105th St. & 106th St.) on the Upper West Side, it's just blocks south of Columbia University.
Owner Beichen Hu tells Eater New York that the popularity of his first location in Queens—primarily with students and fellow immigrants from mainland China—inspired him to keep expanding the concept. The latest addition is smaller than the original, but includes much of the same fare.
On the extensive menu, look for offerings such as burning noodles, double-cooked pork, dumplings and spicy hot pot. There's a limited selection of appetizers and desserts—notably, the ox tongue and tripe in hot sauce and the red bean taro ball—and an assortment of bubble teas. See the full menu on Grain House's website.
Grain House has gotten off to a solid start thus far, with a four-star rating out of nine reviews on Yelp.
Josh O., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on March 25th, said, "Five stars to recognize top-notch Sichuan in the neighborhood: shredded pork and garlic, diced chicken and chilies, eggplant and pork—all fantastic. Service is a work in progress. They could definitely squeeze a couple more tables in the space and cut down on the wait time, and could have a bit more finesse with the basics ... But I'd happily trade all that for the food!"
Yelper Laksen R. added, “Brand-new restaurant close to Columbia. Came here within a week of opening so they had a lot of service kinks to work out. Nonetheless, they deserve a five for the quality of the dishes, price and friendly staff."
Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Grain House is open Monday–Saturday from 11:30am–10:30pm, and Sunday from 11:30am–10pm.
