Wow, like you I was going to San San, Banana Leaf (which like all Malaysian restaurants in Houston is missing $$$ by not offering the theatrical and popular teh tarik!), Alan’s Deli for “lunch plate” and roasted meats in a no-frills place at Dun Huang plus several of my favorite Hunan places are in that same location (imo Spicy Hunan is best, Hunan Bistro across the parking lot is 2nd best!).
For fancier meals, I liked Sinh Sinh’s Vietnamese dishes and Crawfish & Noodles. But mostly I liked the small places with short lunch menus. It was my habit to scout out new places in Chinatown, but when the pandemic hit I stopped completely… and never really picked it back up for various reasons. Mostly I cook at home now.
Dumplings are an exception. I think San Dong still has the best, but I found out about their somewhat-secret second location 
and that’s where I go now. It’s inside 99 Ranch, the one that’s in the old Fiesta building on I-10 at Blalock. There’s a food court, and San Dong is there. Same menu, same everything.
Bonus tip for you: If you go to the San Dong inside 99 Ranch, you can pick up San San tofu while you’re there… it’s on ice in a bin in the produce section. I’ve also seen it at the Sun Wing supermarket, which mysteriously goes by a different name in Katy: KS or Katy Supermarket. 
