Priscilla W.
Yelp
DATE & TIME: Mon Jan 8, 2024 @ 12:00 PM
LAYOUT: two-level restaurant that's spacious, clean, and bright
SERVICE: quick friendly service, surprisingly not rude!
FOOD: xiao long bao XLB (10 pc); pork and preserved vegetable rice cakes; pan-fried broccoli beef; rice balls dessert
PARKING: metered street parking in front, residential parking surrounding
With so many dumpling restaurants in SF, I feel like they're all starting to sound the same as they all have "dumpling" in their name, ie: dumpling house, home, zone, story, park, kitchen, and now story. It's starting to get confusing and annoying.
However, what I enjoyed about Dumpling Bites is their VERY juicy XLBs. There was so much flavorful broth flowing onto my spoon and a delicious pork meat encased perfectly in the thin skin that didn't tear. And for $13.99 (currently) for 10 pieces, it's a relatively good deal compared to other XLB places!
The pork and preserved vegetable rice cakes dish was good, consisting of plain chewy rice cakes, mildly tart preserved greens, and good slivers of pork. Overall tasty dish, yet not greasy.
The pan-fried broccoli beef dish was a little greasier, but delicious. The beef was flavorful and the vibrant green broccoli were perfectly cooked with still a crunch.
As with most Asian desserts, the rice balls dessert wasn't too sweet, consisting of 3 sesame filling and 3 red bean filling encased in rice flour and rolled in desiccated coconut. A little on the dry side though.
Overall, very positive dining experience at Dumpling Bites. Great food, great (clean) restaurant. I'd return!