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Little Ting’s has two locations in the greater Seattle area. I give this location 4 stars, taking 1 star off for two reasons: 1) the clay pots as a main part of this location’s menu are not very tasty – several pots tried. Originally they didn’t even serve dumplings to promote the clay pots but I’d be really disappointed in the quality of them; 2) when I visited today during lunch hour, there were two employees sitting/lying around resting. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get that it is very labor intensive to work at a restaurant. I just hope the restaurant owner/manager could provide their employee with a more private place to rest, or allow a shorter shift etc. they must have been really tired to just directly nap in the dining area. That being side, i have always always always been the biggest fan of Little Ting’s dumplings and baos. No kidding with authenticity in the northern flavor. This place solves my homesick as I was born and raised in the north, eating dumplings growing up dipped in vinegars, not soy sauce. I love love love how moderately firm the dumpling shells are and not super soft. Baos come with a thin layer of crunchy sheet which I almost argue is my favorite part. The flavor is so good and the baos are also filled with some soup. The bao shell (dough) rose nicely, unlike the Q-bao at dough zone can sometime be a little hit or miss.

Dump City Dumplings Menu with Prices 384 SW Upper Terrace Dr, Bend

We love dumplings but these are not what you typically think of as a dumpling- they are steamed buns like chinese hum baos. I also like those but could hardly eat these. The dough was actually raw and I didn’t enjoy any of the 4 different flavors I tried. They are over filled and I think that is why the dough was just not cooked, too much moisture from the large amount of filling. The sauces were also underwhelming. I took them back to the counter and said this is raw but they said that was just the nature of their dumplings, ugh. They did offer to refund my purchase but since I had eaten some of it I did not take that offer. They then came over to our table and gave us coupons for 2 free dumplings, so I give them points for trying to satisfy a customer. But if they cannot solve the underdone raw dough issue I don’t think this place will last long.

Ray’s Cafe & Tea House – Menu with Prices – 141 N 9th St, Philadelphia

What do you do, when you have to go to the DMV and it’s 93° outside ? You reward yourself by going to Ray’s Café and Tea House around the corner! I went there today after a not so bad visit to the DMV. Aimee and Grace (coffee guru) took very good care of me. The place is very small, but you know it was good because two policeman (bicycle cops) were there eating & they had the prime location. The prime location is across from the coffee siphoning apparatus for which Ray’s is famous. I sat near the window facing the bar so that I too could watch the siphoning process. But why I was really there was for the dumpling sampler And the Taiwan beef noodle soup. And of course I was there for coffee. The coffee is famous and it should be it’s delicious. I had ice coffee with the dumpling sampler meal which came with lightly pickled cucumber which is delicious. Actually everything was delicious! Dumpling sampler 5/5 Ice coffee 5/5 (came with a tea cookie-white chocolate dipped and decorated with jimmies) yamcha coffee 5/5 ($8/cup but worth it, also came with a tea cookie -dark chocolate dipped and decorated with jimmies) White truffle cake 4/5 (tasted slightly minty but I’d order it again) I took home most of the cake (I’d three bites) because I was full from two servings of coffee, two cookies and one dumpling sampler and pickles. I also took home another order of cucumbers, the leek dumplings and their famous Taiwan beef noodle soup. I will add follow up on the soup and leek dumplings after I try all. I verified the dumplings and soup are made in-house. I didn’t ask about the truffle cake. After an Ice coffee and dumplings followed by a hot coffee, some cake and another cookie I’m filled to the gills with caffeine and carbs! I’m so happy even after a visit to the DMV, Ray’s has special powers !!! Take out haul: Taiwan beef soup: frankly the beef was a little game-y and too salty 3/5 I’ve had better and closer to home. I wouldn’t order it again. Scallion dumplings: dough was light/noodle-texture and filling was mung bean noodle and scallions- not full of flavor. The dipping sauces made them delicious but on their own dumplings, were just okay. I’d try them in-house again, perhaps the texture will be different 4/5 All was packaged for takeout expertly!

Noodles & Dumplings – Menu with Prices – 6303 N Mesa St, El Paso

After being in El Paso for over 5 years, I finally have a go-to place for noodles, dumplings, and really some other staple Chinese dishes. This is the first place in EP with soup dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. I would re-order almost every single dish I’ve ever tried here. If I could give them a 4.5 star, I would. Soup dumplings – The dough is made well, not too thick, not too thin. However, I consistently feel like there can be a bit more soup on the inside especially because they come out to the table already sunken in, and the juices are being absorbed by the dough already. So it doesn’t leave very much for the person eating. The time between kitchen and table does affect this aspect of it. Flavor is good. Most people don’t know how to mix the vinegar sauce so providing us with more than the ginger would be nice. Props to giving us the ginger though! And taste is definitely delicious!!! Noodles – I’ve tried almost every single noodle soup dish of theirs already and my favorite is the spicy beef one. It’s packed with flavor without being super over powerful. At the same time, you can definitely tell the noodles are hand-pulled fresh. They’re uneven and have a texture to them that cannot be imitated if they had been frozen or bought elsewhere. Pork belly dish – Served with buns. I’ve had this dish a couple of times and love the flavor. However, the buns tend to be overheated or oversteamed because by the end of the meal, I find myself biting into hard buns instead of something soft. The flavor is wonderful but it doesn’t have layers. This dish would be heightened if a veggie was added to it: pickled or steamed. Just a pinch of anything to add to the bun with the pork would make that much of a difference. So keep that in mind and maybe order something more to mix-and-match your dishes. Environment – Constantly filled with people so not great for large groups over 4. Simple. Clean. Cute. Menu – I’m not sure how I feel about their menu since it’s constantly different everyday. I understand that it ensures freshness because if they aren’t able to procure the products, then they won’t push it and put it on their menu. So I do appreciate that. I just have cravings!

Big Big Dumpling – Menu with Prices – 133-35 Roosevelt Ave #9, Flushing

Big Big Dumpling resides inside the New York Food Court and they are too big for their surroundings. They had to name it twice as ?BIG?BIG! The amount of dumplings they crank out by hand everyday belies their little food stall. For a meager amount of your wallet cabbage, you can be loaded up to the tune of 16 of the boiled pork and cabbage pockets for a mere $6.99 for the large box. I know I can’t finish that many in one sitting so I’ll get a couple of different combos to share if I can. If you’re by yourself and can’t really handle a large box, a couple of dollars less will get you a medium box. They are still great resteamed or microwaved the next day, so don’t worry about wasting. Combinations of fish, pork, shrimp, cabbage, fennel, chives or plain veggie are matched on the menu, so choose your preference. I’m willing to bet if you want a custom mix of filling and willing to buy say 50+, they will accommodate you. As I’m waiting for my order, I love watching the ladies rolling out the dough balls, stuffing them with meat and pinching them closed in the span of about 10 seconds each. Most types are boiled, but can be pan-fried for more of a flavor pop. Mix the soy dipping sauce with some hot sauce and the flavor really explodes. Other menu items such as the sesame and cucumber noodles are not bad, but I’ve had better, though not cheaper. The dumplings are what’s happening here.

Mayflower Chinese Carryout – Menu with Prices – 3066 Mt Pleasant St NW, Washington

I placed a HUGE takeout order for a dinner with friends last night, and I appreciate that Mayflower had all of the food ready right on time for 6:30pm pick up and provided lots of sauces, utensils, and plates. There is still great value and big portions here, but I finally took stock of the dishes I like: — general tso’s — lo mein — steamed meat dumplings …and didn’t like: — kung po chicken (heavy on the veggies, low on the chicken) — fried dumplings (the dough is very thick, so they become tough when fried) — veggie dumplings (the thick dough combined with veggies just doesn’t do it for me) — fried rice (dried out quickly so I couldn’t enjoy the next day, but was fine day-of) Overall, this is a great option in the area, especially if you want to order ahead. It just doesn’t hit the mark for some of my favorite dishes.

Slavonian European Cafe Menu with Prices 7 Northern Dr, Troy

I’ll need to preface this seeing as my rating is not in line with many others who find it more than Ok. My mother is from Eastern Europe and cooked daily in restaurants and at home. We had every type of Eastern European dish growing up as a child, and never really appreciated it, until growing up. Yes, I was spoiled from a food standpoint, growing up, and why I find it hard to say the place is awesome. I will say it is good, but as many have pointed out, don’t expect the Borscht or Pierogi to taste typical. That is one thing I believe this place has going for it. Some of the dishes are really home made and you can tell authentic recipes from the owner. You get to enjoy their unique flavor, which is hard to find these days. I did enjoy some dishes and the flavors, but some other ones were a little bland and tasted like from a can, (i.e., the mushroom soup). The meat dumplings also tasted very similar to the dumplings in Dim Sum down the street. Other dishes were tasty but just not as good as my mother’s sarma or kupus. Sarma (stuffed Croatian cabbage) had much more meat to rice ratio and the cabbage thick and hearty wrapping dripping in meat sauce. I will say I enjoyed her version, as it was light on the meat, and cabbage wrapped very thin. I laughed, as I would have preferred this as a child, but now miss the hearty Croatian sarma I grew up with. Both are great, but it depends on your taste, and as far as my taste goes, let’s just say, Mom knows best when it comes to Eastern European taste.

Oliveto Artisan Oils & Vinegars – Menu with Prices – 3565 Electric Rd, Roanoke

Five stars because this is a great place for the area, bringing a well-inventoried stock of good products to Roanoke. I live in NYC and my mom knows I love this kind of thing, so she proudly brought me to Oliveto–and I was impressed at the wide range of oils and vinegars available. The oils list their harvest dates and flavor notes (proper olive oil should have a decidedly ‘green’ flavor, not the tasteless stuff we’re used to), and there’s a wide range of flavored white and dark balsamic vinegars as well. Any flavor can be sampled, and the two ladies working were friendly and happy to help. I wound up purchasing two bottles because I just couldn’t resist, and because I was heading home on a plane they offered some bubble-wrap to help keep them safe. Roanoke has its share of chains and typical stores, so I’m excited and pleased to see a specialty store like this one in town. I definitely recommend, and hope they stay open for e to visit next time I’m in town!

Lucky Dumpling – Menu with Prices – 26 S Wahsatch Ave, Colorado Springs

We really wanted to love this place. We wanted to support Brother Luck as we’ve followed him since well before Top Chef. We love the music. We love the art. Tupac was abundant. Gold stars for that, for sure. One restaurant pet peeve: if you’re working in an open kitchen with no walls or windows, and that kitchen is basically connected to the front door, don’t pretend you don’t see me standing there waiting to be seated. Don’t act like I’m not there and ignore me. Look up for two seconds and say, “Have a seat anywhere” or, “We’ll be right right you.” You aren’t working too intensely for a little hospitality. Also, the food misses the mark in a big way. The Bahn Mi lacked the freshness and crunch of cilantro. The jalapeños were sliced so thinly and applied so meagerly you couldn’t taste them. The pickled veg were also skimpy. You can get a perfect Bahn Mi an hour away for $4. This was an anorexic $12 sandwich. We tried dumplings. The hot and sour dumplings with pineapple relish were great. The dumpling love stopped there, though. As for the green curry dumplings..I think they’re supposed to have shrimp but lacked any sea flavor. The curry sauce had zero punch and was far too mild. The braised beef dumplings were in a consommé that was too salty to eat. And I’m not salt sensitive. We determined the meat inside the dumpling was salt-heavy, too. I’m talking salt burns on your tongue..that type of salty. Kyle tried to make things right. They tried to remake the dumplings again, though we insisted they didn’t have to. They watered down the broth. They kept mentioning how “intense” those dumplings were. I don’t have an issue with intense flavors, but salt isn’t supposed to be a flavor. It felt like they wanted to find a way to not have to comp the dumplings. Kyle said he would comp them if we still didn’t want them after tasting the fresh batch. Frankly, he should have comped either way. On our way out, we took one last, sad look at Biggie and Tupac on the wall and said our final goodbyes since we won’t be seeing them again.

Dumpling Darling – Menu with Prices – 212 E 3rd St, Des Moines

I took my two adult children to lunch here as weâ??ve been hearing good things. I ordered a side of fried Brussels sprouts with Korean BBQ sauce which was an adequate portion to be shared by 3 or 4 people. I also ordered a small size (5) Leslie Lamb steamed dumplings. The Brussels sprouts were cooked to perfect consistency and the sauce for me was just right- covered without being overbearing and diminishing the crunch. The dumplings were so delicious with great flavor. My daughter had the Hoisin Pork Bao (2 large sized) and the fried Mac and Cheese dumplings and loved both. My son had a side of edamame ( choices of spicy or sea salt) and the avocado crab Rangoon fried dumplings. He enjoyed the dumplings but did say for His preference the side sweet and sour sauce lacked much flavor( he likes spicy foods). Our meal was $33 minus tip. Great value as I took home a take out box with a meal of sides and 1 steamed dumpling leftover. The door to the restaurant is left open and there was a pesky fly that visited our table throughout the meal which was a tad annoying. Service was friendly yet I could have used a return visit during the meal for more water. (I didnâ??t ask and we were checked on after our food was delivered). We all found many options we could have ordered and based on our enjoyment of todayâ??s selections we wouldnâ??t have been disappointed.

Velasko Pizzeria & Deli – Menu with Prices – 4800 McDonald Rd, Syracuse

You know that saying, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, well that is true of this pizza shop. We had 2 pizzas delivered and were very happy with the delivery guy. Unfortunately we can not say the same about the pizza. We had 2 different pizzas with different toppings and neither had any flavor. For a house full of people who like to eat and love their pizza, we struggled to get through the first piece. The sauce was bland as was the dough. I don’t know if the dough was old or cheap premade frozen dough but dough can make or break a pizza. With this pizza shop, it was a complete break. I didn’t bother trying the wings. The 1 piece of pizza I did manage to finish did not sit well in my stomach, leaving me with bad gas. We won’t be ordering from them again.

Yang’s Dumplings – Menu with Prices – 196 Quincy St, Boston

I order food for the workplace on the regular, and I have been trying to change it up lately. I didn’t know much about Yang’s Dumplings, but given that it was Chinese New Year earlier this week, I wanted dumplings bad and gave Yang’s a chance. I ordered ~300 dumplings for my colleagues, and they loved it! Many of them even asked for the restaurant afterwards. The dumplings are fresh and hot upon delivery, and they taste homemade. No surprise there, given that it’s a family business. Also, my brief interactions with them have all been very pleasant. For large parties, you can order the “Taste of Everything”, which consists of 200 steamed veggie, chicken, pork, and shrimp dumplings (50 each). There’s the “Plate of Everything Platter”, which has 420 dumplings, but if you have a smaller crowd, there’s the “Bite of Everything Platter”, which has 80 dumplings. (There are more options if you order through ezCater.com.) Delivery is prompt, punctual, and pretty cheap. Tl;dr – Switch up your catering with dumplings! Yang’s delivers in more ways than one.

Happy Bao’s – Menu with Prices – 66 S Dobson Rd #112, Mesa

The next time you’re picking up groceries at Mekong Plaza, stop in to Happy Bao’s for some good dumplings and noodles! Happy Bao’s is a relatively new restaurant to the Plaza, next to the dim sum restaurant (which is next on my list!). It’s a small space, so probably not great for large groups, but it’s cute. There are pictures of bao buns and dumplings on the wall, in addition to life size representations used as decor (adorable). Our waitress used these to give us a visual of the size of the “giant bao” special for the day, which, of course, we ordered when she said it was two dollars and some change (great deal!). The giant bao was about 4 inches in diameter and was stuffed with pork and chicken. The bao dough was great, soft and pillowy. The filling was okay, it really came to life though with a little of the chili paste and dumpling sauce. Side note about these condiments, you have to ask for them! Make sure you do. I’m not sure why they aren’t on the table, since everyone wants them. I’m a huge fan of Dan Dan Noodles, so of course we had to order those. Great spicy ground pork on top of noodles, accompanied by sliced fresh cucumbers and topped with roasted peanuts – so good! To round out our sampling, we also order the steamed chicken dumplings. They were the biggest surprise because they looked kind of boring, but had big flavor. Happy Bao’s was really inexpensive too. Our total bill for all three items, plus tea, soda and tax was $21.00! Now, is this as good as a famous chain like Din Tai Fung, of course not, but it is really tasty!