Chelsea Chinese is resurrected

There's nothing more glorious than a phoenix rising from the ashes, triumphantly proclaiming "After my time in the void, I'm back, and totally ready to work with Russell Crowe again!". For a resto literally rising from those ashes, make your way to Eight Over Eight

Resurrected a year after burning to a crisp, this beloved pan-Asian resto has reemerged with fashionably dark decor dominated by a wall-spanning painting of imperfect red & black circles, a newly expanded private diner, and a reinvigorated menu so addictive it should eventually turn you into the same.

The feasting kicks off with generously portioned dim sum like lobster & lemongrass dumplings, Cantonese fried beef & fois gow gee, and five spice "baby chicken" -- as opposed to "spring chicken", because once you leave China you're pretty much done with doublespeak.

Gluttonous geography then moves on to Japanese asparagus & enoki (long stemmed mushrooms) dragon rolls, Thai-style duck & aubergine red curry, and, heading farther afield, a tomahawk steak in Peruvian antichuchos -- a garlic, cumin, and aji chilli marinade that feels the pro-chuchos are ruining the country with their borderline socialist economic policies. And chuchos.

A few old faves have stayed on the menu, including the celebrated chilli salt squid (wrapped in Chinese newspaper), crispy pork belly w/ black vinegar, and the black pepper rib rack -- so despite being a little long in the beard, all of them can happily say "I'm Still Here".