Chicago S Next Food Trend Mission Chinese

• Michael Gebert
• Shumai at Fat Rice, harbinger of our future

I was talking to John Manion, chef-owner of La Sirena Clandestina, for this post about the restaurant’s empanadas, and we were discussing what the next hot trend in dining would be, after such past hits as ramen (which still continues to produce new entries, like Shin Thompson’s Furious Spoon, opening on Wednesday), doughnuts, and pork belly. And he said simply, “Everybody’s working on their Mission Chinese.” Mission Chinese is Danny Bowien’s hip Asian food concept, with locations in San Francisco and New York and lines out the door at all times (except when the health department in New York shut it down last year). As soon as Manion said that, I knew he was right—it just made perfect sense. And five minutes after that, I started getting press releases proving it.

• Maddy’s Dumpling House Chrissy Camba had a short-lived upscale Filipino place: Laughing Bird. But as with Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark of Parachute, aiming for high quality at the mid- to low end may be the sweet spot. She’s currently doing pop-ups on different themes; there’s one on Wednesday for Chinese New Year, but it may be sold out by now.