Din Tai Fung

This Taiwan import is famous for its xiao long bao—and although they’ve gotten slightly smaller, each still brims with ground meat in an addictive umami-laden and aromatic broth. Dip one in black vinegar, add a few strips of ginger and eat it whole for that burst of umami flavours. Another perennial crowd favourite is the yellow fried rice, where pearls of jasmine rice are tossed with seafood, egg and chives and—like the cherry on top—also comes with tender, goldenbrown pork chop. The spinach is sautéed with precise skill so that it remains firm, but we prefer it with more garlic. The custard bun is exclusive to the Paragon outlet; three plump white buns come in a steaming basket. The skin is slightly thicker, so you have to give it a good bite to get to the molten custard. The restaurant is generally packed; service is brisk but professional.