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Justine Choi

13 Essential Chinese Restaurants in DFW

Where to get dim sum, hotpot, skewers, Peking duck, clay pot rice, and hearty soups

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Over the past five years, the Metroplex’s Chinese food scene has exploded in a colorful fireworks display of Cantonese, Szechuan, and more delicacies and Chinese American favorites. Chinatown in Richardson continues to thrive, while a second Chinatown is blossoming in a strip mall on Coit and Park in Plano — with exciting new restaurants popping up further north.

Add some of these spots to your to-eat list to try the regional styles and specific Chinese food delicacies that are tempting diners in DFW.

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The Chinese Neighbor

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Chef Bob Tam’s Hong Kong and San Francisco roots take a Texas spin in his Prosper restaurant. Fried rice has a Tex-Mex spin showcasing Texas favorite meat - smoked brisket tossed with barbecue sauce, corn, and scallion, topped with pickled red onions, and a creamy mac and cheese sauce with a side of wasabi coleslaw. The pork wontons are not just Sichuan spicy but Flamin’ Hot with a generous sprinkle of the popular snack. 

Highland Noodles 金城兰州拉面

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The stars at Highland Noodles in Frisco are Chinese-style noodles of different widths and thicknesses that are hand-pulled, sliced, served in soup, stir-fried, or in sauce. One would be lucky to have dinner and a show, seeing the noodles made fresh in the open kitchen. 

Uncle Zhou

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Uncle Zhou in Plano showcases traditional Henan cuisine from central China and is known for its 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 made in-house, fish in a sweet and sour sauce, and dragon eggplant. 

Hunan Bistro

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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 flavor of Sichuan peppercorns. Thanks to its unforgettable name, the “Unforgettable Combo of Lamb and Fish Filet” is one of the menu’s most tempting orders.

Mifen Prince

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Rice noodles are king here. The restaurant specializes in the flavors of the Huaxi area of Guiyang, the capital of the Guizhou province. The signature beef mifen comes in a spicy hot broth with a kiss of sour and delicate, bouncy rice noodles. Don’t miss out on the yogurt, which is made in-house, or the sour plum drink to help manage the heat from the spicy bowl of noodles.

China Queen

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Traditional Chinese music played on Saturday nights in China Queen in Carrolton adds to the ambiance as diners enjoy plates of hand-made dumplings and xiao long bao alongside braised pork belly with abalone. 

Fat Ni BBQ

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Diners here can enjoy northern China-style seasoned meats, seafood, 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.

Kirin Court

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Reminiscent of Hong Kong dim sum houses, the expansive ballroom setup is crowded with ten-top tables for celebrating. Get outside the dim sum wheelhouse and try the #27, fried balls of mashed taro filled with pork and mushrooms encased in a nest-like shell. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during weekends and holidays. 

First Chinese BBQ - Richardson

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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. 

Royal China Restaurant

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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 before diners. And Chinese American favorites like kung pao and sesame chicken get a serious upgrade. 

Wok Star Chinese

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Diners searching for Chinese American favorites, traditional Chinese, and some of the city’s best la main noodles will find it all at Wok Star. As an added touch, chef Charlie Zang, a huge music fan, brought his taste in pop into the space.

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

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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. Now with two locations: the original in Irving and the second on Lowest Greenville. 

The Chinese Neighbor

Chef Bob Tam’s Hong Kong and San Francisco roots take a Texas spin in his Prosper restaurant. Fried rice has a Tex-Mex spin showcasing Texas favorite meat - smoked brisket tossed with barbecue sauce, corn, and scallion, topped with pickled red onions, and a creamy mac and cheese sauce with a side of wasabi coleslaw. The pork wontons are not just Sichuan spicy but Flamin’ Hot with a generous sprinkle of the popular snack. 

Highland Noodles 金城兰州拉面

The stars at Highland Noodles in Frisco are Chinese-style noodles of different widths and thicknesses that are hand-pulled, sliced, served in soup, stir-fried, or in sauce. One would be lucky to have dinner and a show, seeing the noodles made fresh in the open kitchen. 

Uncle Zhou

Uncle Zhou in Plano showcases traditional Henan cuisine from central China and is known for its 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 made in-house, fish in a sweet and sour sauce, and dragon eggplant. 

Hunan Bistro

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 flavor of Sichuan peppercorns. Thanks to its unforgettable name, the “Unforgettable Combo of Lamb and Fish Filet” is one of the menu’s most tempting orders.

Mifen Prince

Rice noodles are king here. The restaurant specializes in the flavors of the Huaxi area of Guiyang, the capital of the Guizhou province. The signature beef mifen comes in a spicy hot broth with a kiss of sour and delicate, bouncy rice noodles. Don’t miss out on the yogurt, which is made in-house, or the sour plum drink to help manage the heat from the spicy bowl of noodles.

China Queen

Traditional Chinese music played on Saturday nights in China Queen in Carrolton adds to the ambiance as diners enjoy plates of hand-made dumplings and xiao long bao alongside braised pork belly with abalone. 

Fat Ni BBQ

Diners here can enjoy northern China-style seasoned meats, seafood, 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.

Kirin Court

Reminiscent of Hong Kong dim sum houses, the expansive ballroom setup is crowded with ten-top tables for celebrating. Get outside the dim sum wheelhouse and try the #27, fried balls of mashed taro filled with pork and mushrooms encased in a nest-like shell. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during weekends and holidays. 

First Chinese BBQ - Richardson

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. 

Royal China Restaurant

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 before diners. And Chinese American favorites like kung pao and sesame chicken get a serious upgrade. 

Wok Star Chinese

Diners searching for Chinese American favorites, traditional Chinese, and some of the city’s best la main noodles will find it all at Wok Star. As an added touch, chef Charlie Zang, a huge music fan, brought his taste in pop into the space.

Fortune House Chinese Cuisine

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. Now with two locations: the original in Irving and the second on Lowest Greenville. 

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