Thrilled we don’t have to drive to Arlington for true Chinese dishes anymore, we prowled through every corner of chef Patrick Ru’s menu at this pretty new bistro that opened in October in a former Near Southside convenience store/take-away shop. Pairing a simple plate of cool sliced cucumbers (drizzled with rice vinegar and crushed chiles) with a crisp-at-the-edges fried scallion pancake was the right way to start, particularly when we washed it all down with a California sparkling rosé. Hot oil wontons were tender packages filled with minced pork and onion, with a hint of cool spice at the core. Perfection came in soup dumplings we deemed the best this side of Mott Street in New York’s Chinatown: lush, feather-light bundles holding a crab-and-pork blend in a deeply nuanced broth hinting of ginger and anise. Wok favorites like kung pao shrimp and mapo tofu are offered, but we’re saving up to return for Peking duck with caviar, maybe to enjoy with a Riesling or Syrah—or both, as three-ounce pours make sampling an easy option.