Cuisine:

• Coffee Houses
• Chinese

Utopia Cafe Description:
This unassuming spot tucked away in a little alley just off the bustling main drag remains one of Chinatown's best kept secrets, catering mostly to residents who come for the home-cooked Hong Kong-style cuisine. Utopia specializes in clay pots, but there's so much more than that---the calamari is fresh while the fried tofu has a crispy exterior that surrounds a marshmallow-soft inside. The salt-and-pepper chicken wings are big, meaty and flavorful and the small fish, thinly battered bite-size fried smelt, are as addictive as potato chips. The wonton soup---plump little dumplings filled with mostly shrimp and a bit of pork ---is also above average, and the coating on the sweet-and-sour chicken remains crunchy even in the thick sauce. Groups can order chef's choice for ten people for around $15 per person. Utopia uses only fresh seasonal ingredients and dishes are prepared using very little oil, further setting it apart from the neighborhood's many tourist traps.