"There may not be lines out the door anymore, but this Luscious Dumplings offshoot is still a great all-day option when you want xiao long bao and jiaozi outside of the San Gabriel Valley. Order at the front and grab one of the handful of tables—these dumplings are best when they’re a little too hot and dipped into a DIY sauce of housemade chili oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. We always go for an order of the soup dumplings, but the pan-fried pork variety, hiding a garlicky wallop beneath crisp, lacy edges, makes Mason’s worth adding to your regular rotation. There are plenty of sides—get the spicy pig ear, skip the bao—plus fish dumplings and vegan options, too, so you can take pretty much anyone. Whether it’s for a quick XLB fix, an early dinner, or a hangover brunch, just be prepared to order too many dumplings." - Andrew Ryce
