It’s getting hot in here — spice-wise, that is.

Chicago’s Chengdu Bistro has opened at 1633 Orrington Ave. — the space formerly occupied by Mira Sushi and before that Lao Sze Chuan — in downtown Evanston. This is the third location of Chengdu Bistro; the others are in the Loop and West Town neighborhoods. It is also part of the same restaurant group as the critically acclaimed Chengdu Impression, which has spots in Lincoln Park, Uptown and Wicker Park.

We stopped in at the tail end of the soft opening, which translated to a free order of dumplings and a 10% discount on our dinner check. So, happily, our meal came in at under $25 a person, but even without the dumplings and discount, this spot is reasonably priced.

The new Chengdu Bistro on Orrington Avenue in downtown Evanston Credit: Julie Chernoff

Front of dining room at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

The interior is modern and cheery, painted in welcoming tones of ochre, white and gray, with subway tile accents in white, orange, yellow, gray, black and ocean blue. The white-topped wooden tables are flanked by padded wooden chairs and, on the north wall, a padded wooden banquette.

We were handed temporary menu printouts, but you place your order on a tablet that helpfully offers color photos and descriptions of most dishes. A server came over to make sure we understood the process and to suggest house specialties. He also made sure we didn’t order too much, as portions are generous. As for spice levels, let’s just say this place is not for the faint of heart. It is a Sichuan restaurant, after all. Word to the wise: Steer clear of ingesting any large pieces of chili pepper!

Zhong’s dumplings at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

Free or not, dumplings are a great way to start your meal. We opted for Zhong’s dumplings ($9.95), a Chengdu regional delicacy that are made by hand, on site. You’ll find eight tender, steamed pork dumplings nestled in a shallow bowl and dressed with a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce dotted with chopped scallion. They are comforting and delicious, with just the right bite to the dough. There are a half-dozen other varieties of dumplings, including soup dumplings and potstickers.

Garlic cucumber salad and Dan Dan noodles at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

Dan Dan noodles (small $5.95, medium $10.95) are a must for the table. Available in meat and vegetarian versions, these are thin wheat noodles topped with a mixture of ground pork, sesame paste, fermented vegetables, chili sauce and scallions. These hit with the perfect spice level; the heat lingered and tingled but no need to reach for the fire extinguisher.

Chicken egg rolls at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

Every family has an egg-roll enthusiast, and yours will be pleased with the chicken egg rolls ($3.95), which come two to an order. Just enough flavorful stuffing, and the blistered exterior lends crunch without being impermeable. It’s served with a lightly sweet dipping sauce.

I always order cucumber salad ($9.95) when dining in Chinese restaurants for the texture and freshness it brings to the table. At Chengdu, it also acts as a natural coolant for the spicy dishes. Here, it’s well seasoned, just salty and garlicky enough — although I prefer when the peel is left on the cucumber.

Mongolian beef and hand-torn cabbage at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

We ordered two entrees for the table: Mongolian beef ($19.95) and Chongqing spicy crispy chicken ($19.95). This is the Sichuan version of Mongolian beef, and it is stir fried with plenty of sliced onions and scallions, as well as spicy chilis. The caramelization of the onions in the hot pan gives the dish a bit of sweetness, but it is not overpowering.

Chongqing spicy crispy chicken at Chengdu Bistro Credit: Julie Chernoff

The Chongqing chicken preparation was very spicy, even after we asked for “less spicy.” As you can see in the photo, it was chock-full of chilis, and, according to the server, it was considerably less than their normal preparation. But even if you avoid the large pieces of chili, the fried cubes of chicken are tossed in their own spicy coating (think cornstarch mixed with crushed Sichuan peppercorns), so your mouth will tingle. Keep that cucumber salad and steamed rice handy!

We branched out from our usual garlicky green beans or bok choy to order the stir-fried, hand-torn Napa cabbage ($13.95), which we really enjoyed. Again, a little on the spicy side, but so tasty.

Desserts are not yet available. But if the Evanston outpost follows suit with the other Chengdu Bistros, you can expect to find traditional Chinese desserts like glutinous rice cakes, fermented rice balls, and Sichuan ice jelly.

A quick caveat: I am a spice lover. I do not shy away from spice, but I do like to be able to taste what I’m eating and not just the chilis in the dish. The server said that they cook more for the Asian palate than the American palate in terms of spice level, so order accordingly.

Chengdu Bistro, 1633 Orrington Ave, 847-425-0008. Open Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

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