Stellar new Sichuan (plus dim sum!) at Breeze in Greenpoint 

By Scott Lynch

“The word ‘he-xu’ [or, as the sign reads outside, 和-煦] translates into English as ‘warm spring breeze,'” Louie He tells me right before laying out a feast of Sichuan and Shanghainese favorites at his brand new restaurant in Greenpoint. “But it can also signify ‘comfort,’ as used by the poet Xie Lingyun in his ‘Mountain Dwelling Rhapsody,’ reflecting a deep love for a simple rural life.”

On this stretch of Manhattan Avenue near McCarren Park — where He and his two co-owners Colin Guao and David Yang just opened Breeze — you will find no one’s idea of living that rural life. But the trio have done a terrific job of creating an oasis of chill here, evoking a Sichuan teahouse amid the block’s Brooklyn bustle.

“Sichuan residents are known for their easygoing nature and their preference for a laid-back lifestyle,” says He. “The teahouses that you’ll find all over the province embody this carefree spirit, and our designer Hanyu Tao has tried to make Breeze feel like that.”

But though the vibe here may be calm, the food is incredibly lively. The chef is San Shun Fan, who He says has been “in the industry” for 30 years, much of that time back in Chengdu. The trio of owners, all of whom used to work at China Blue in Tribeca, found him via the city’s underground network of mahjong players. “All Sichuan chefs in New York know each other through mahjong,” says He.

The menu is filled with familiar Sichuan bangers, like the potent “Husband and Wife” appetizer, a pile of paper-thin beef shank and tripe slices soaking in a pool of chili oil.

‘Husband and Wife’ special, $16 (Scott Lynch)

Fan makes an excellent version of dry pot pork and potatoes too, with hacked up ribs remarkably juicy under the chewy exterior, spuds admirably crisp, and everything tossed with enough dried chiles to make your forehead sweat.

Dry pot baby rib with potato slices, $22 (Scott Lynch)

There are a couple of whole-fish showstoppers here: a bright orange “fish blossom” and, my party’s choice, a superb sea bass swimming in a sea of spicy bean paste.

Whole sea bass with spicy bean paste for two, $32 (Scott Lynch)

For something less fiery (and more vegetarian), the pleasantly greasy sautéed king oyster mushroom entree really hit the spot.

Sauteed king oyster mushroom, $18 (Scott Lynch)

Also very good was Breeze’s crab tofu, a thick stew of sorts, redolent with salted duck egg yolk, that we spooned over rice and wolfed down with glee.

Crab tofu, $22 (Scott Lynch)

Breeze offers a full slate of Shanghainese dim sum as well, like crab soup dumplings, pork pot stickers, scallion pancakes, and some first-rate siu mai stuffed with ground pork, sticky rice and more of that salted duck egg yolk. Other dishes on the soft opening menu include Sichuan cold noodles, spicy cumin lamb, ma po tofu and kung pao chicken.

Siu mai with salted duck egg yolk, $10 (Scott Lynch)

He told me that they plan on expanding the menu, adding things like a roasted chicken with truffles done up Sichuan style. Also coming soon are craft cocktails using various Chinese teas to go with the more traditional drinks (at $15 each), beers ($7) and wines (bottles go for around $50) getting slung already. So it’s a teahouse that also knows how to party.

Breeze is located at 595 Manhattan Avenue, between Nassau and Driggs Avenues, and is currently open on Sunday through Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 4:30 to 9 for dinner, and on Friday and Saturday from noon to 10:30 (212-718-0797)