Pine & Crane

Vivian Ku's Taiwanese restaurant first opened in 2014, and the lines for Pine & Crane's solidly delicious chilled appetizers, dumplings, noodles and rice bowl haven't seemed to let up since. Though Highland Park's Joy and a second, roomier Pine & Crane outpost in Downtown L.A. have divided the flow of customers away from the Silver Lake original, this eight-year-old counter-service eatery still does a brisk business serving up nourishing bowls of mapo tofu, the most centrally located shengjianbao in L.A. (though by no means the best) and the best boba drinks in the area. Take one bite of the scallion pancakes or beef rolls, and you'll easily understand why Pine & Crane has long been the go-option for Taiwanese/Chinese takeout or a casual dine-in meal among neighborhood locals.