Mandarin Kitchen

At this Shanghai-style Chinese restaurant, the xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, are a magical creation of hot soup broth and pork or crab encased in dough. The restaurant also offers Beijing specialties like cumin-coated grilled lamb skewers, and the classic Chinese hot pot, which has been somewhat successful in luring diners seeking the wonders of the fonduelike, do-it-yourself meal. Whether it’s the soup dumplings that tempt you—or the chewy homemade noodles in spicy sesame oil—you’ll wonder how you’ve gone without for so long.