WHY Go for the Shanghai-style dumplings filled with crab and pork and the light, pastry-style dumplings filled with sautéed leeks—but also try the Shanghai spareribs and the jade shrimp with a spinach purée.

WHAT Originally known as Dragon Villages, this was one of the first formal restaurants to introduce Shanghai-style cooking to Los Angeles. The main draw for regulars these days: the beloved dumplings—crab, pork and steamed vegetable—and pot stickers.