Eating at Fu Man is half spectator sport: a large part of its appeal is standing in front of the window watching the dumplings being made. (There’s certainly nothing else to look at in this nondescript restaurant in a nondescript neighborhood). The dumplings are Shandong-style, which means they have a thicker, chewier skin, and this alone draws dumpling aficionados. We prefer the pan-fried dumplings, though the boiled version is also perfectly serviceable thanks to a pungent and addictive garlicky dipping sauce.

We wouldn’t recommend straying too far past the dumplings, although the green onion pancake is a fine appetizer. The other dish of note is the “Chinese burger”—a ridiculous name for a seasoned pork patty inside pan-fried dough and served with the requisite garlic sauce. How does that differ from the regular dumplings? Well, there’s a hockey puck’s worth of meat in the dough instead of a dollop.