Dumplings Dah-ling

Sweet, savory or steamed, these dainty piping hot packets are always delicious. We love the diversity of the simple dish, with its myriad possible dumpling fillings and wrappers, shapes and sizes. We sampled some of the city’s best spots for these delicious bites and found something to suit all the different dumpling diners out there.

Taiwanese

No dumpling discussion is complete without the Taiwainese “Dumpling King” Din Tai Fung in the picture. At this dumpling establishment, it’s all the little things that count, from the carefully kneaded dumpling skin to the friendly and attentive service. Their special steamed xiaolongbaos are filled with piping hot slurps of flavorful broth and succulent pork. The almost translucently thin dumpling skins remain impressively intact through chopstick-handling, and the restaurant will replace any xiaolongbaos which break when picked up. And for first time XLB-ers, the restaurant’s prepared a “how to eat” guide at each table. Start by adding 1 part soy sauce followed by 3 parts vinegar to the small plate of ginger strips, dip the dumplings into the mixture, bite, slurp, and then down the whole thing. Of course, Din Tai Fung also has more to offer besides their signature soupy pork dumplings. The pork and shrimp shaomai are stunningly presented, appearing like little florets in the wooden steamer. Also on offer are some interesting sweet dumplings, such as the steamed taro paste dumpling, which is fragrant and absolutely delicious. Unit 130, 3/F, Silvercord, 30 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730-6928.

Hotpot

Dumplings bobbing around in a big pot of hot, bubbling broth are a beautiful sight. King’s Garden Restaurant does a nice selection of made-for-hotpot dumplings, all of which are freshly handmade every day. The Shanghainese style chive and pork dumplings are full-flavored, while the Cantonese style shrimp dumplings are milder in taste but are made with deliciously firm-fleshed fresh seafood. A special must-try item is their basil and oyster dumpling. The basil is strongly fragrant, the flavor combination is interesting, and the coupling of soft oyster meat with crunchy bits of cloud ear fungus is wonderfully innovative. 1/F, King’s Hotel, 303 Jaffe Rd., Wan Chai, 2244-3355.

Chiu Chow

Tucked away on Bonham Strand West is Leung Hing restaurant, a two-level traditional Chinese style eatery. A constant stream of regulars drop by throughout the day, chatting away loudly with the owner and staff in the regional Teochew dialect, while they enjoy the restaurant’s authentic Chiu Chow cuisine. Amongst the popular dishes served at the restaurant is the well-known Chiu Chow classic: jade green chicken meatballs. This exquisite “dumpling” dish takes a lot of patience and culinary skill to prepare; the filling (a mixture of fresh, minced chicken and chopped mushrooms) is placed into a paper-thin wrapper made from egg whites and a little bit of corn flour, ready for steaming. It’s a healthy, wholesome, and absolutely delicious dish. G/F, 32 Bonham Strand West, Sheung Wan, 2850-6666.

Italian

Have we told you how much we love the casoncelli at W52? Well, we’re telling you now. The dish is one of chef Ernesto’s signatures; the pasta is handmade and intricately wrapped into perfectly al dente, bite-size morsels. The filling (a dense mixture of sausage, beef, chopped pears and sundried grapes, breadcrumbs and herbs) has a beautiful, concentrated savory flavor which goes extremely well with the surprisingly light yet still fragrant creamy butter sauce. Topped with a thin wafer of crispy bacon and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan, this is definitely a dumpling worth downing.

The other Italian dumpling available at the restaurant is the sea bass tortellini with dry martini and lemon zest. The flavors are refreshingly subtle and, as chef Ernesto describes, “delicate.” The mild flavors of the pasta pair beautifully with the tangy sauce made from fresh tomatoes, sweet onions and orange pieces. It’s a wonderfully appetizing combination of flavors and a welcome respite from the usually hefty and heavy Italian dishes. 52 Wyndham St., Central, 6768-5252.

Lamb

Flit over to Bi Yi restaurant if you want a taste of Xinjiang dumplings. The hand-rolled wrappers are relatively thick and lend the dumplings a bit of bite, while still retaining a wonderful, smooth feel. And because Xinjiang is a predominantly Islamic region, these dumplings are filled with generous dollops of halal minced mutton instead of the more-commonly available variations of pork. The filling has a full, fresh and meaty flavor with a delicious juiciness that shines all the more so when paired with the slightly spicy vinegar dipping sauce. 43 Water St., 2484-9981.

Sweet

Dumplings for dessert? You betcha. The signature tong yuan (glutinous rice dumpling) with sweet potato in ginger soup from celebrity chef Jacky Yu’s Xi Yan Sweets is a fantastic combination of delicate but delicious flavors. Encased in the delectable chewy skin is a mixture of custard, sesame and crushed peanuts – a sweet filling of different textures that oozes out of the dumplings and into the zingy ginger broth. There may only be three to each serving but – trust us – each dumpling is a large-bite portion, which will easily fill you up. 8 Wing Fung St., Wan Chai, 2833-6299.