Firstborn

Firstborn gets its name from chef-owner Anthony Wang’s story as the first in his family born in America, and the whole restaurant is a personal exploration of that identity. Located in Chinatown’s Mandarin Plaza, the space transforms a formerly open-plan room into a series of more intimate areas. The design is a hybrid of a French brasserie and a Shanghai lounge – you’ll see jade-colored tiles wrapping the bar, warm oak millwork, and sage-green tile throughout the dining room. West-facing windows bring in a golden light in the late afternoon, illuminating wall art from a local Chinatown artist. The cooking follows a similar logic. This isn’t a restaurant focused on a specific regional cuisine; instead, the menu uses European techniques to interpret the nostalgic flavors of Chinese-American family meals. The dishes are composed of California produce and meant to be shared, moving through a rhythm of different temperatures and textures. The Fried Chongqing Chicken is a constant, with a crunchy-yet-airy coating seasoned with a house-made chile crisp that’s flavorful without being overwhelmingly spicy. Other plates rework familiar ideas, like a steak tartare that borrows the flavors of mapo tofu or BBQ cabbage that’s slow-roasted and pressed with layers of butter-cooked leeks. The bar program is just as considered, turning out technique-driven cocktails like a White Flower Negroni made with baijiu. Desserts are intentionally light and often incorporate savory notes, with options like a chamomile custard with green apple and cucumber or a corn tart with mochi. The menu is composed of smaller plates, and the meal unfolds as a tasting experience, with most tables ordering a variety of dishes to pass around.