Established in Richardson back in 1982, First Chinese BBQ was among the first restaurants to take an earnest stab at proffering authentic Chinese cuisine within the Dallas metro orbit—an area not known for urban Chinatowns and a robust variety of Chinese regional fare. First Chinese embraces mostly Cantonese-style cuisine (emanating from the Guangdong Province in southern China) and stakes its rep on barbecued and marinated meats, a roster that includes roast duck, barbecue pork, soy sauce chicken, and beef tendon.

Ground rules are simple: large family-style portions, BYO, and cash only. It covers all of American-Sino menu stalwarts in a minimalist, clean dining space with contemporary décor dabbed in mostly washed-out colors. But the wonton soup isn’t washed out. It’s rich and savory, skipping the dishwater demeanor that is all-too-typical in most Americanized Chinese restaurants. Other noteworthy dishes include Hong Kong Style Seafood Combo (rife with large chunks of shrimp, scallops, and squid) and beef flat noodles with strips of tender beef served in a rich sauce. Service can be brusque, but First Chinese won’t burden your credit card balances, so the trade-off is a double plus.