Photo by Jon Anderson.

Spicy chicken in a flaming pan is one of the signature dishes at Chengdu Cuisine in Hoover.

A new Chinese restaurant has opened in the former Mandarin House Chinese Restaurant location on U.S. 31 in Hoover.

The new restaurant, called Chengdu Cuisine, at 1550 Montgomery Highway, Suite O, opened Sept. 1. It specializes in Sichuan cuisine, which is a type of food from the Sichuan province known for its spiciness, resulting from the liberal use of garlic and chili peppers as well as the unique flavor of Sichuan peppers.

The restaurant is owned by Leo Li, who has spent about 12 years working in other Chinese restaurants, including some in New York City and the last five or so years in Alabama. His most recent job was at The Great Wall Chinese Restaurant on Valley Avenue in Birmingham.

Li, a 30-year-old who lives in Vestavia Hills, said he moved to Alabama because he has other friends and family who live here. He decided to open this restaurant because he has been working for other people for so long and wanted to open his own business, he said. Also, he doesn't believe other Chinese restaurants in Hoover specialize in Sichuan cuisine, he said.

Some of his signature dishes include crispy spicy chicken, fish filet in a hot spicy broth and spicy chicken in a flaming pan, he said.

Chengdu Cuisine has about 5,000 square feet and seats 142 people, Li said. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. For more information, visit chengdubirmingham.kwickmenu.com.