The restaurant situation in Asheville is always changing, of course, but there's a new trend we're liking quite a lot: food from places beyond the American South. Of note: an upgrade for our Asian food selection, which has long been limited to mainly sushi. Finally: Good Chinese food arrives.

Now open: Shanghai Dumpling House

Shanghai Dumpling House is now open in the former Doc Chey's Noodle House and, for those clamoring for better Chinese food, this may be just the ticket.

The restaurant served some Chinese takeout standards like Kung Pao Chicken ($15), but here it's appropriately spicy, as are the Sichuan vegetables ($11). The pork fried rice ($9) is an unexpected standout, laced with five spice and pleasantly fatty.

The dumpling section of the menu is smaller than you might expect for a restaurant called Shanghai Dumpling House, but you're not likely to be too upset about it once you taste the soup dumplings, $9 for six pieces. Then there are the pan-fried dumplings, at once crisp and pillowy and deeply flavored, and $6-7 a half dozen. You may have them with pork, chicken, vegetables or shrimp. Then there are pork and shrimp wontons served with spicy sauce, as well as the Sheng Jian Bao, or pan-fried pork buns.

Attorney Winnie Mok, who practices law in Manhattan but helped the owners of this new restaurant through the legalities of getting open in downtown Asheville, said Shanghai Dumpling House's chefs and managers all moved to Asheville from New York to help open and run this restaurant. The owners of this downtown Asheville restaurant also have eateries in the Big Apple, so they know where to find talent, she said.

Shanghai Dumpling House is open daily at 37 Biltmore Ave. from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-11 p.m.

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Typhoon Noodle

This new Hendersonville Road restaurant is set up in a former Hardee's, but the menu is about as far from Thickburgers and fries as you can get. Expect a pan-Asian menu with dishes like lo mein, wonton soup, spicy beef noodle, and Sichuan hot and sour noodle. There's plenty of vegetarian fare too, including noodle soup and tofu- vegetable stir fry over steamed white rice or mixed-grain brown rice. Also, boba tea, which can be customized with ingredients like sea salt foam and popping passion fruit pearls. The restaurant is open daily at 1834 Hendersonville Road, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

More:'The real Sichuan': Typhoon Noodle brings authentic Asian noodle dishes to South Asheville

High Climate Tea Co.

This lovely and serene teahouse on South Lexington Avenue has a hand-carved bar and lounge area where you can order pots of more than a dozen direct-sourced Chinese teas. There's also a menu of small bites made by local chef Hannah Kirschner, including rose-infused matcha truffles dusted with matcha powder, handmade seasonal mochi and Sichuan pepper-spiced popcorn. 12 S. Lexington Ave.

More:What is Burmese tea leaf salad? Try it at new High Climate Tea Company

Broth Lab

This new build-your-own noodle bowl shop is now open in the historic Hatchery building where White Duck Taco Shop first got its start in the River Arts District. The restaurant, from former Junction chef Camp Boswell and his wife Leah Boswell, couples traditional ramen noodles with unconventional toppings like fried okra and crispy pickled cauliflower. Broth options are also "ramen-ish" and include a lobster-based curry broth and a pork and chicken broth brightened with lime zest. 1 Roberts St.

More:Broth Lab opens this week in the River Arts District

Coming soon: New York Butcher Shoppe

More a butcher shop than restaurant, this Arden spot will open by the end of August near Craft Centric bottle shop and the original location of Yum Sushi Burrito and Poke.

This will be one of 13 franchise locations for New York Butcher Shoppe, which specializes in high-quality meats, including CAB New York strips, filets and brisket; center-cut pork chops and whole, organic chickens and chicken breasts.

"We'll also have a wide variety of prepared meals, including beef stroganoff, chicken parm, meatloaf and portobello pasta," said franchise owner Brenda Bruker.

The shop will also serve a menu of sandwiches from in-house sliced deli meats. Like wine? Find more than 100 selections here, plus a wine club launching in October, offering wine dinners, tastings and discounts. New York Butcher Shoppe will be open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., at 200 Julian Shoals Drive.

H&F Burger

James Beard Award-winning chef Linton Hopkins will bring the first location of H&F Burger outside of Atlanta to the space most recently home to Continental Lounge.

Not a fan of burgers? Not to worry: the chef will also open a Hop's Chicken window in the building, serving signature fried chicken dishes, such as Japanese katsu chicken sandos and classic Southern-style bird. There will be more than 100 whiskey selections, beer, wine, and arcade games, too.

Hopkins' H&F Burger opened in Atlanta in 2015, inspired by the success of a burger originally served only after 10 p.m. at Atlanta institution Holeman & Finch Public House. 77 Biltmore Ave.

Bargello

This Mediterranean-focused restaurant by local restaurateurs Peter and Martha Pollay is slated for a late-summer opening in the Hotel Arras in the former BB&T building. Chef de cuisine Joshua Vilain and executive chef Jordan Arace will be in the kitchen. "All of this is a front for my love of pasta," Arace joked.

Besides hand-made pasta, you'll find shareable meals including whole fish, as well as creative small plates that will trend Mediterranean but focus on regional ingredients. You'll find plenty of hearth-baked local vegetable dishes, pizzas and large-format dishes like a spice-rubbed brisket the chefs say they've been perfecting for months.

More:New Mission Health tower, Arras hotel and condos slated to open in 2019

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Vilain, who comes from "a deep farm-to-table background," started his cooking career in Asheville, and has worked in high-end Italian restaurants in Atlanta. He wants to present Mediterranean fare in all its diversity, highlighting not only Italian and Greek food, but also North African, Turkish and Armenian dishes. "A lot of it is based on what's fresh and available, because that's how those cultures live anyway."

Arace said to also expect some casual fare, including burgers and wings. "But we'll still have the tweezers out there, for sure."

Of note: Bargello will have outdoor seating for 50. Plans are to open in September.