The name Peter Chang is swiftly becoming familiar to Marylanders and other residents of the DMV. In fact, Chef Chang is quickly gaining national recognition with his raw talent for authentic Sichuan cuisine. His story is absolutely fascinating: he came to the United States in 2001 working as a chef at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. on a two-year contract. However, just before that contract was set to expire, he and his family left the embassy and vanished into the hustle and bustle of the Virginia suburbs.

A pattern began to emerge – Chef Chang would take a position as a chef at a small Chinese restaurant, launch it into the spotlight with his flavorful recipes, draw crowds of hungry customers, and then vanish again, avoiding the attention until he would resurface at another restaurant, only for the process to repeat. This prompted a veritable “Where’s Waldo?” game shared amongst critics and food lovers alike, who searched Asian restaurants across the DMV hoping to find Chef Chang once more.

This went on for eight years before he opened his first restaurant in March of 2011. Flash forward 12 years and his delicious recipes which prompted foodie fascination are no longer so elusive; Chang has an established empire of 11 restaurants speckled around the DMV. The newest of these is the eponymous Peter Chang, freshly opened in Columbia, Maryland’s Merriweather entertainment district. This new eatery continues Chef Chang’s passion for bringing authentic Sichuan food to the DMV, and does so in the relaxed atmosphere of Colorburst Park, making it the perfect destination for friends and family to gather and enjoy the spellbinding flavors only Chef Chang’s recipes can provide! Here’s more on how you can enjoy authentic Chinese food in Columbia, Maryland.

This new location is right on the corner of Colorburst Park’s quad. There’s outdoor seating, which is a lovely option as the weather grows cooler.
Hugh Taylor, Contributed Photo
The dining room is open and inviting and unsurprisingly fills up quickly around dinner hours. It’s a great place to meet up with friends after work or to bring family together for a meal.
Hugh Taylor, Contributed Photo
I started off with the dry-fried eggplant, which provided one of the first examples of the authentic Sichuan flavors on the menu. The eggplant is dusted in Sichuan peppercorns, a beguiling spice that numbs your mouth and makes it tingle. The sensation feels as if you could put a tuning fork on your tongue.
Hugh Taylor, Contributed Photo
The term for “numb-spiciness” in Chinese is “mala”, and it is created by combining the Sichuan peppercorns with spicy chilis. The Yangtze River Beef is the most extreme example of this, and it is absolutely delicious!
Hugh Taylor, Contributed Photo
The mapo tofu quickly shot up the list as one of my favorite dishes. It’s a spicy, tangy dish that goes perfectly over rice. The recipe has existed since at least 1254 CE!
Hugh Taylor, Contributed Photo
Speaking of classic recipes, Peter Chang’s Peking Duck is famous and is a prized item on the menu. The crispy skin and the sweet-and-savory sauce has been a staple of Chinese cuisine since the Imperial era, and here it is done befitting the reputation of the chef.
Chuck Ng/Google Reviews

If you’re interested in learning more about Chinese cuisine, check out this Bookshop.org listing that traces the history of the renowned five flavors of China!

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