Justin T.
Yelp
Finally made it to Dough Zone for a weekend lunch date. Dough Zone has been on my radar since it hit the Houston food scene a few years ago. It's a west coast chain that has expanded into the Houston area with plans to grow more around the US. There's another popular restaurant that I enjoy when I visit the west coast, but this is more like the cheaper version of that. That's not necessarily a bad thing. This location is in Midtown. It's sits on the corner of a shopping strip. During the day, parking shouldn't be an issue, but I assume during peak busy hours you may have some issues. Customer service was just ok. It was straight business without any warmth. I had to ask specific questions to learn more about their menu. The space inside is large and modern looking and seems like a place where they can accommodate larger groups.
When you are seated, they set down a sheet with their menu items. You then pick your items and then they bring it out. There is a QR code on the table with that pulls up the menu as well with pictures to help you decide. We didn't hit all the categories since it was just two of us, but I think we got the essentials. One of their main draws is the Xiao Long Bao which are soup dumplings. I've had these exceptional ones elsewhere so the bar was set high. I won't say these were the best I ever had, but they were very good. The dough was the perfect thickness, not too doughy, and held it's integrity with the soupy filling. The broth and pork inside was delicious. One of their own signature dishes is the Q-Bao which are steamed, then pan fried. It's not a typical preparation but I liked the soft bun with the crispy bottom. The filling in this was really good too. We ordered Dan Dan Noodles to get some noods into the equation. Solid, but not the best I've ever had. We went heavy on the veg options with the Kale Salad with Sesame Dressing and Sweet and Sour Cucumbers. Both were very light and refreshing. The cucumbers were one long piece which made it slightly difficult to eat, but we managed. The kale salad was very good. I washed my food down with some tea, but they also have beer, soda, and boba. They have quite a few options on the menu, but I do wish they had some more just meat options.
Overall, I really enjoyed Dough Zone. The soup dumplings were one of the better ones I have had in Houston. I would definitely come back or check out their other locations.