The “house noodle soup” at this tiny, delicious spot is actually boat noodles, rich from the pork blood in the broth. Among the other dishes are hits like old-fashioned tom yum, pink-colored yen ta fo, and a delicious pad kee mao. Prices may be relatively low, but spice levels are authentically Thai (very spicy).

Hunan cuisine is the hot (and spicy) new entry to the area’s Chinese restaurant scene, with Dong Ting Chun proving to be a popular place in Edmonds. Fish dishes are a highlight on the expansive menu, including the restaurant’s namesake dish, a whole fish steamed with red chiles and onions. Pickled chiles, pumpkin pancakes, braised pork, and preserved egg (in one dish, included with mortar and pestle-pounded eggplant) are all featured prominently in the restaurant’s dishes.

This California-based hot pot chain is growing, now with five locations in the Seattle area. Here, diners choose from individualized hot pots that have a variety of broths and ingredients. The Taiwanese spicy version is great for extreme heat-seekers. Or, for something a little unusual, try the house special hot pot with stinky tofu so fragrant that it can be smelled anywhere in the restaurant when it’s ordered.

Minutes after Fashion Dim Sum’s 10 a.m. opening on the weekends, expect all the tables to be filled, and with good reason: the restaurant serves some of the best dim sum in the Seattle area. There are no dim sum carts in this small dining room; diners order from the menu. Two of the best items are weekend-only specials not found on the regular menu: fresh bean curd rolls and Fashion stuffed dumplings made with pork, peanuts, pickled radish, and more.

This restaurant’s namesake dish (called seolleongtang in Korean) features a rich broth made from ox-bones, brisket, and other beefy body parts, cooked for more than 24 hours. It comes to the table milky white, and the server, pointing to a jar of sea salt, will advise diners that it’s completely unseasoned. The liquid can take a lot of that salt, along with other condiments if desired. The “Mixed” version is a treat with brisket, tongue, and shank.

To cool off after a spicy, garlicky Korean meal, nothing beats bingsoo — a shaved ice concoction that comes with a variety of toppings. The bingsoo at the appropriately named Milkie Milkie is lusciously snowy and comes in a variety of flavors including taro, green tea, and black sesame. Diners can also get them topped with fresh mango or strawberries. There’s also a selection of toast made with injeolmi: homemade soft rice cake.

Dumpling Generation serves up excellent northeastern Chinese dishes. Most prominent on the menu, and on diners’ tables, are baskets of steamed dumplings and bowls of mixed noodles. In addition to the jiaozi (dumplings), discerning diners here seek out the baozi (steamed buns) stuffed with pork and glass noodles. The restaurant also has a standout dish called luan dun, which translates to “chaos stew,” coming with braised pork belly, potatoes, eggplant, green beans, and more.

Located on Highway 99 in Edmonds, Rise and Shine meets wholesale demand for crackly baguettes while also serving rotating specials like banh mi chao (a sizzling skillet “breakfast,” good any time of day), bo ne (Vietnamese beef stew), and banh mi sandwiches made from the baguettes. All the sandwiches, including the lemongrass-infused grilled beef, the tofu and mushroom, and grilled pork and fried egg, are freshly prepared.

If you’re looking for good Taiwanese food in Edmonds (or anywhere north of Seattle), Looking for Chai has you covered. The three spiced chicken (often called three-cup chicken elsewhere) is at the top of the chef’s specials list for good reason. The menu includes plenty of other Taiwanese classics, mini hot pots, and tea drinks — including bubble tea, of course.