On the eve of October holidays, those of us who are staying in town have a couple new dining options to tempt us. Switch! restaurant opened this weekend out at 798 art district. Site of the former Super Ganbei, Switch! is likewise attached to the UCAA Art Space, but with its mod furnishings, lofted floor-to-ceiling windows, wooden deck, and street-facing entrance, this new café is much more accessible to the gallery-hopping crowds. The owners also operate the catering company Culinary Capers, and they have plans in place to host guest chefs and "switch" up their offerings often.

Beijing isn’t lacking for hot pot spots, so when a new one appears, even enthusiasts might ask “Why bother?” Gao Gao answers that question with high-quality ingredients and a commitment to recreating the freshest Taipei hot pot.

The first thing that strikes you about Feast is that it’s a fine-looking restaurant. Of course, nobody really comes to a place like this to enjoy the design, so it’s just as well that the all-you-can-eat offerings deliver. Mix up your own salad to ease yourself in, and try not to overindulge in the bread and cheese selection – you’re going to need every inch your stomach allows.

Since the term nyonya refers to the women of Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore, pretend with me for a second that Little Nyonya, the restaurant, is an actual woman. She’d be the kind of gal you could take home to meet your mom: reliable and demure, not the most glamorous, but someone you can settle down with. She does, after all, know how to cook.

If you love the food at Chuan Ban, but find the environment a little too “authentic” for out-of-town visitors or a date, Syringa may be your best new alternative. The kitchen is staffed with Chuan Ban alumni, but the setting is cleaner, fresher and has a certain rustic-chic meets cliché-contemporary-art charm.