Clement Restaurant

Browned ducks dangle above steaming trays of rice and porridge in the front window at this Inner Richmond hole-in-the-wall. (Look for the bright yellow awning and checkerboard tiles out front.) Near-constant lines ensure that everything served is fresh from the oven, fryer or steamer, no matter the time of day. Try the tender shrimp dumplings, perfectly cooked lotus-wrapped rice, flavorful beef curry rolls and hearty jook. The real specialty here is the char siu bao, a Cantonese barbecue pork bun. The fist-sized delicacy is a meal in itself, its pork and onion filling encased in a doughy, chewy shell. Order 7 buns or more and you'll get a sturdy to-go box—a welcome upgrade from the neighborhood's standard, flimsy take-out containers.