"Mention Xiao Bao to anybody who lives in Nashville and their response will either be: “I’ve been dying to get over there," or “You got the cheeseburger bao bun, right?” Even a couple years after opening in East Nashville, it’s still a buzzy spot with an equally buzzy burger. And that patty, with a scattering of chopped ginger and scallion on top of melty american cheese, is a good representation of the menu: interesting Asian fusion food that you can’t find anywhere else in the city. Xiao Bao isn’t just a one-hit wonder, though. It’s the rare hybrid of a restaurant that’s fun and reliable for any occasion—easy and exciting, all at the same time." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak