The Six-Color Soup Dumpling Basket and the Problem With Novelty Xiao Long Bao
JoyFu’s Chinatown sampler arrives in six colors. The harder question is when a flavored dumpling expands the Jiangnan form, and when the palette is doing most of the work.
Eat Out
Restaurant guides, ordering notes, and city dining coverage.
A Field Guide to Reading a Korean Restaurant Sign
Gukbap, seolleongtang, gopchang, and pocha name the specialty before anyone hands you a menu.
How to Use a Keith Lee Review When You Eat Out
The TikTok critic who rates takeout in his car can send a pho shop into a week of sold-out nights. Here is how his reviews work, and how to follow them without crushing the kitchen.
What Is an Izakaya, and How Do You Eat at One?
A stay-and-drink Japanese pub with shared small plates: what the word means, how the evening runs, and what to order first.
How to Order at a Cantonese Dim Sum Hall
Cart service, ticket systems, and the dishes worth prioritizing on a first visit.
LA Koreatown: A Dinner Map
Five Korean barbecue fixtures, two newer grills, and a couple of reasons to skip the grill entirely.
Omakase Without the Performance
How to tell a fish-and-rice counter from a tasting-menu show, and what to check before you reserve.
SGV Bakery Crawl: What to Order
Chinese and Taiwanese bakery cases decoded: sweet buns, savory pastries, and what travels well.
The New Wave of Taiwanese Cafés
How to tell a sit-down Taiwanese café from a takeout boba shop, and what the menu usually offers.