On a surface level, Mister Jius in San Francisco has everything youd expect of a Michelin-starred restaurant: elaborate plating, an immaculately curated Instagram presence and a revolving tasting menu. At the helm of the kitchen and its vibes is executive chef Brandon Jew, who, like many of his peers, is navigating culinary expression through his blended, Asian American identity. Specifically, he wants to rejigger the space that contemporary Chinese cuisine occupies in the American food zeitgeist.

The menu at Mr. Jius (a reflection of Jews overall cooking ethos, it seems) is both innovative and reverent of San Franciscos old Chinatown, bejeweled with slightly remixed Cantonese-style dishes meant for sharing, as well as a tasting section that leans a bit more adventurous. He never strays too far from home, though his choices feel cohesive and cozy.

For those in the East Asian diaspora, sharing a meal is quintessential to forming and nurturing bonds. Food is sometimes a unique type of love language that rescues us from having to be unnecessarily sentimental, even borderline uncomfortable. The word love in Mandarin, for example, carries a lot of weight and for many of us, asking someone if theyve eaten yet is an easier way to express it.