Dumpling King’s namesakes are solid, but the mains are better - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation
"Dumpling King is one of the many (many) two-word SF restaurants that starts with “Dumpling.” In spite of that, it’s actually the well-executed Chinese entrees that make this Richmond spot worth visiting. You’ll of course also find the requisite boiled, steamed, and pan-fried dumplings on the menu, including pretty decent xiao long bao and spicy wontons. But a night in the casual space is best spent focusing on the bigger plates, from sticky chicken wings to the fresh noodles draped in silky black bean sauce. It’s easy to walk in, even with a group—and unlike most spots on this stretch of Clement, they’re open until 11pm from Thursday to Sunday. photo credit: Monica Lo photo credit: Monica Lo photo credit: Monica Lo photo credit: Monica Lo photo credit: Monica Lo Pause Unmute Food Rundown Zhajiang Mien Our favorite dish here. The ground pork and black bean sauce are fantastic, and the noodles are springy enough to use as bungee cords. photo credit: Monica Lo Salt And Pepper Fish Craggy edges, the perfect salty-crunchy mix of onions and jalapeños, and a flaky interior—it’s pretty much impossible to stop yourself from reaching for another piece, and then another. photo credit: Monica Lo Scallion Oil Noodles Another hit from the fresh noodle section. If you’ve got a vegetarian in the group, go with this. Dry-Fried Chicken Wings Mildly spicy, bright red, and drenched in a sticky sauce the consistency of hot glue, these are a great add to any order. photo credit: Monica Lo Shanghai Soup Dumpling You can get a better version elsewhere in the city, but we’ve never been mad about these. photo credit: Monica Lo Juicy Pan Fried Kurobuta Pork Baos Hit or miss. Sometimes, the bottoms are overwhelmingly crunchy, and there isn’t much to the pork filling. Other times, they’re juicy and well-proportioned. photo credit: Monica Lo House Special Pan Fried Rice Noodle This dish comes with petals of fried noodles on the side, and they’re good, if not a bit impractical to break off and eat. This is solid, but we’d focus on the fresh noodles instead. Ice Bear Thai Tea This drink is topped with a bear-shaped ice cube that's frankly f*cking adorable. Take a picture, sip, and watch as the bear sinks slowly into its bathtub of thai tea. photo credit: Monica Lo" - Julia Chen
