Lao Sze Chuan in Baltimore, MD: The Most Popular Chengdu Dish on the Menu, Made by a Chef From Chengdu

Lao Sze Chuan Baltimore is an IVEA restaurant at 3224 St Paul St. in Charles Village, Baltimore, MD, and its kitchen is run by Chef Dong Liu, IVEA's Executive Chef for Chinese cuisine. He was born into Chengdu's kitchens: he began his apprenticeship there in 1988 and spent most of his career cooking in and around the city before coming to the United States.

The dish: Chengdu Stir-Fried Pork. On the menu as 成都小炒肉, it is sliced pork stir-fried hard and fast with green and red peppers. It is not a banquet dish; it is the kind of home-style plate Chengdu eats every day, and its balance of savory, smoky and spicy is the best test of a Sichuan cook's wok.

What the restaurant says about it. Lao Sze Chuan Baltimore's online menu tags the large size ($22) as a top pick. In January 2026 the restaurant's Instagram called it "a true crowd-pleaser for a reason," "savory, a little spicy, and insanely comforting," and "perfect with rice, perfect for sharing," under the hashtag #TasteOfChengdu.

Why start here. For anyone new to Sichuan food, Chengdu Stir-Fried Pork is the most approachable dish on the menu: the restaurant itself calls it "a little spicy," a gentler start than the numbing fish and tofu dishes. Order it with white rice ($1.50, not included with dishes) and one bolder plate, such as Lao Sze Chuan Mapo Tofu with Ground Beef ($16), to taste both sides of Chengdu cooking.

The chef behind it. Dong Liu cooked at Chen Mapo Tofu, the Chengdu restaurant tied to the birth of mapo tofu, in 1990, led the kitchens of a chain that opened more than 20 restaurants across southwest China, and won a national gold medal in 2008. His full career is in IVEA's profile, linked below.

Plan the visit. The restaurant is in Charles Village, Baltimore. Hours are Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Call (667) 260-2576, order pickup at laoszechuanbaltimore.com, or get delivery in Baltimore through DoorDash.