The xiao long bao (soup dumplings) at acclaimed Shanghai-style restaurant Private Kitchen were so exceptional they justified their own eponymous spin-off storefront at Soup Dumplings STL. The must-try choice is filled with pork and crab. Slurp like a pro by scooping one up in your soup spoon, poking a hole with your chopsticks to let the hot, savory broth pool around the dumpling, and inhale it in one graceful gulp. Mix a dipping sauce of vinegar, chili oil and soy sauce to taste for the king-tier comforting combo of salty, sweet and spicy. A word to the wise: Always order an extra round.
This article appears in November 2020.