Hunanese cuisine may have once taken a back seat to the Bay Area's roster of Chinese spots, so it’s no wonder that this snug gem has attracted many a local and curious palate. Try to snag one of the beautifully carved booths in the back — then you'll be privy to the goings-on in the kitchen. Settle in and begin to peruse the menu of specialties. Boldly flavored dishes incorporate oodles of smoked, cured and fermented ingredients — from the tender, juicy stir-fried cilantro beef, to the pungent pork, black bean and pickled chili mixture that tops a mound of spicy, hand-cut godfather’s noodles. Flaky boneless fish filet, served bubbling hot in a zingy broth of chiles and Sichuan peppercorn, is a favorite for good reason.