On an unassuming strip of Bridgeport lies one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city, serving up both crowd-pleasing favorites like egg fu yung and fried rice and delectable Northern Chinese specialties, such as dumplings and smoked meats. Sure, from the outside Ed's Potsticker House may not look like anything special—a few neon signs glowing in the window, a beaten front door—but don't let that deter you from a knock-your-socks-off meal.

The namesake dish here, cigar-shaped potstickers, are savory but easily bested by the shao long bao (soup dumplings) that have long been drawing a crowd of those in the know. Pop the dumpling into your mouth whole and press it against the roof of your mouth, causing a rush of delectable soup to burst onto your tongue. The thick scallion pancakes with smoked pork and hoisin sauce had us wishing we had two stomachs so we could gobble up twice as many, while the fried garlic eggplant would have had us scratching our head if we weren't so busy defending our plate from our tablemates. Thick wedges of eggplant are fried a la French fries and then slathered in a warm, sweet sauce that coats the crispy skins in a heavenly flavor.

Though Ed's doesn't shy away from meat, including jellyfish, intestines and every manner of pork imaginable, vegetarians should have no problem navigating the menu. The fried tofu in Beijing sauce and potatoes with vinegar flavor are both scrumptious selections. It's also BYOB.

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Rockwood