Gigi's Asian Bistro

There are Asian restaurants, there are good Asian restaurants, and then there's Gigi's Asian Bistro. The Pan-Asian cuisine here sensually mixes the exotic flavors of the Orient to create gastronomically orgasmic combinations. There’s “Bang Bang Beef Salad” with its spicy chili-lime dressing over pieces of seared beef, red onion, cherry tomato, and mint, truly indulgent wok-steamed mussels bathed in a lemongrass, ginger and basil broth, and the "Return of the Phoenix," a re-up of the classic Hunan favorite crispy sesame chicken. And executive chef Junnajett Hurapan has serious foodie cred: proprietress Gigi Huang lured him to Houston away from New York hotspots like Ruby Foo's and Buddakan. Unlike the endless identical purveyors in Chinatown, Gigi's plays to all five senses. The bar (equally attuned to dumplings and drinks) is seductively lit with red lanterns, and the main dining room is Soho-meets-Miss-Saigon with exposed brick walls under a ceiling bursting forth with thousands of cherry blossoms. The dim sum is the real deal and the outdoor lounging area is as close as you can get to an Asian palapa bar without booking an overseas flight.

Don't forget dessert! The mini-cupcake trio by pastry chef Jiraporn Hurapan has inspired raves.