East Pearl

Pinning down optimum dim sum is a never-ending hunt: The chefs at Chinese restaurants constantly hop from one kitchen to the next without warning. Right now we’ll put our money on Duluth’s East Pearl, oddly lodged in a faux Alpine chalet. Beyond standards like har gow (plump shrimp dumplings) and shumai (crinkly, open-faced pork bundles), look for variations stuffed with scallops and chives or a rich combo of pork, shrimp, and peanuts. And for a memorable finale, keep an eye out for a wooden bucket parked in a corner of the dining room: It contains silky homemade tofu that a friendly server spoons into a bowl and covers with spicy-sweet ginger syrup.