APTOPIX Chinese American Fine Dining

Upscale Chinese American restaurants, from San Francisco to New York City, have sprung up in recent years, garnering buzz beyond Chinese food takeout staples with refined tasting menus. Many will put special spins on traditional Lunar New Year dishes for the Year of the Fire Horse, which begins Tuesday. Doing creative deconstructions on classic Chinese foods is part of their culinary hallmark, as many chefs are hungry to showcase their own culture. But in an industry where diners rarely question high-price menus at a French haute cuisine or Japanese omakase, Chinese restaurateurs often contend with resistance in getting customers to pay fine dining tabs. They say their food, labor and cooking techniques are just as worthy.