This hot pot chain specializes in Sichuan-style hot pots, but only some of the broths are spicy and hot. Check its hot pot 101 guide for assistance and choose from the broths — as many as four — dipping sauces, proteins, vegetables and starches to go with this cook-as-you-eat experience.  

Love dumplings? Order a platter or two at Dumpling House. They come in savory and sweet. For those who can’t get enough, take home a bag of 25 pieces of frozen handmade dumplings to eat fresh whenever a craving strikes. 

Uncle Zhou in Plano showcases traditional Henan cuisine from central China and is known for its in-house noodles. The deceptive simplicity of its “dial oil” hand-drawn wide noodle showcases the kitchen’s noodle-making mastery. Other notable dishes include baked noodles (also made in-house), fish in a sweet and sour sauce, and dragon eggplant. 

This spot serves Chinese American favorites and Cantonese specialties. Dine in to try the Hong Kong-style clay pot rice, which requires a 20 to 30-minute wait. It is topped with a choice of roast barbecue, chicken and mushroom, or pork rib, then drizzled with a sweet soy-based sauce. The crown jewel is the crispy and golden layer of rice at the bottom.  

A number of the regional dishes from the central province of Hunan at this restaurant look similar to their Sichuan counterparts and pack the heat from chili without the mouth-numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. The “Unforgettable Combo of Lamb and Fish Filet” is one of the menu’s most tempting orders, thanks to that unforgettable name.

Come here for northern China-style seasoned meats, seafood, proteins, and vegetables on a stick. Beef tendon skewers and the plate of lamb chops are must-orders. Don’t expect to be served rice to pair with this regional delicacy; there is none. Instead, the kitchen offers a choice of noodles, roasted skewered steamed buns, or good old ice-cold bottles of beer, as is characteristic of the wheat basket in the north.

This spot is home to food from a southwestern province in China that serves as its namesake. A bowl of the original “crossing bridge” rice noodle soup is a must-order. It’s a hot broth served with a layer of oil to preserve its heat, with delicate rice noodles and toppings served on the side, including paper-thin slices of meat. Swish around the raw meat first to cook it, then add noodles toppings as desired. 

At this dim sum spot, the duck takes center stage. Order half or whole roast duck on the bone, or go big with Peking duck.

Diners are welcomed into this spot by a window cabinet of hung Cantonese-style barbecue filled with glossy mahogany skinned roast ducks, amber steamed chicken, a side of crispy-skinned roast pork, and a mountain of red char siu pork loins. Order any of these to graze on with rice, alongside other Hong Kong-style favorites, including fresh shrimp wonton noodle soup and yang chow fried rice. 

Soupy steamed xiao long bao is the star of this Shanghai-style restaurant’s menu. Other stellar regional dishes include the Hong Shao Rou (red braised pork belly with bok choy) and the pan-fried pork buns. 

Tucked into the massive shopping center at Preston and Royal, this North Dallas institution has a devoted crowd of regulars. Hand-pulled noodles (the chilled dan dan noodles are excellent) and xiao long bao (soup dumplings) are made in front of diners, while Chinese-American favorites like kung pao and sesame chicken get a serious upgrade.