Lion Dance Cafe

More vegan restaurants are opening in the Bay Area, but one particularly enticing addition to the scene is Lion Dance Cafe, the downtown Oakland brickandmortar evolution of longrunning popup S + M Vegan. Chefs Marie Chia and Shane Stanbridge are known for their distinctive, genrebending takes on ChineseSingaporean fare with Italian influences. One of the popup’s most popular offerings that has carried over to the restaurant is the constantly changing shaobing sandwich, which might be stuffed with faux char siu or fried mapo tofu but always features a naturally fermented version of the Chinese sesame seedcrusted flatbread, modeled after Sicilianstyle pizza. For the first few weeks, the restaurant will be open just two nights a week and will require online orders in advance. — J.B.

Opened: Sept. 12. 380 17th St., Oakland. www.liondancecafe.com

Emma K. Morris Mala potato salad with blistered green chiles at the vegan Lion Dance Cafe in Oakland.