Po's Dumpling Bar, Kansas City

At the age of eight, Po Hwang learned to craft noodles from scratch in his family’s noodle factory in Taiwan. When he and his wife opened his namesake eatery, Po’s Dumpling Bar, he shared his technical tips with his kitchen staffers, teaching them how to roll and cut dough so that the resulting strips are the perfect size for basket weaving. The crew continues to use the from-scratch products as the foundations for [a number of dishes](http://gr.pn/N08dL1), including sesame-sauce noodles with ground pork as well as noodle soup with sour cabbage. Meals kick off with starters such as the pork-filled emperor’s dumplings, which _Food & Wine_ mentioned in their [round-up of great Kansas City eateries](http://gr.pn/hJP5qK). The chefs enhance flavors without ever using MSG, keeping dishes healthful and free of abbreviations. Hwang can often be found traversing the dining room, sharing stories about the [traditional Chinese-American dishes](http://www.posdumplingandnoodle.com/traditional_dinners__rices) on his menu, such as the general tso's chicken and the country-style tofu. [House specialties](http://www.posdumplingandnoodle.com/house_specialties__noodles) include boneless poultry, such as fried chicken or marinated duck. The [full bar](http://gr.pn/z5tnkP) brims with selections of beer, organic wine, and cocktails.