"Ling Kitchen is a Chinese tasting-menu restaurant that's as committed to the presentation as they are the food. There’s one seating per night (at 6:30), and everyone dines around a long metal table next to the open kitchen where the staff prepares a procession of creative dishes. A server dramatically bangs a gong when the next course is ready, after which another small spectacle will land at your seat. Get ready for a wooden chest that opens to a plume of smoke revealing pork belly, peking duck, or some other flavorful meat. There’s usually a lobster cream puff shaped like a little mouse and a dumpling molded into a UT longhorn. Fortunately, the theatrics aren’t just for show—everything is cute and tasty. Seats are only available by reservation, and they tend to go fast. video credit: MATTHEW JACOBS Food Rundown photo credit: MATTHEW JACOBS Tasting Menu The only way to dine at Ling Kitchen is this 10-course showcase. The menu changes every few months, so no two experiences are identical. Sometimes the sea bass is seared, and sometimes it's steamed with various peppers, for example. The meal always ends with a delicious dessert, though. Before the experience starts, a server will ask if you want to add on a bottle of wine (no single pours available)." - Matthew Jacobs
