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Dumpling House Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
328 Spadina AveToronto, ON M5T 2E7
Neighbourhoods: Chinatown, Kensington Market, Downtown Core
(416) 596-8898
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
65 reviews for Dumpling House Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"They offer other delicious pan fried dishes and soups as..." In 21 reviews -
"...embrace ecstacy with steamed pork and chive, beef, and lamb." In 10 reviews -
"The steamed spinach and black mushroom dumplings were a..." In 3 reviews
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65 reviews in English
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Review from D'Arcy M.
Toronto, ON
4/21/2012
I really, really love this place. I've been eating here since I was a kid and it's barely changed. The food is comforting and delicious.. if a little greasy. Best for the dumplings and hot and sour soup.. other things on the menu are much, much better ordered from other places nearby.
Here's a breakdown of my thoughts and experiences:
Dumplings: Heck yea! The lamb dumplings are really fantastic and so are the pork and fennel and pork and chive. I can also vouch for the mixed vegetable and spinach and mushroom ones as yummy vegetarian options!
Boiled or fried.. is a really matter of preference I think. The dumpling filling is pretty flavourful and I love the vinegar, chilli and soy dipping combo offered.. so I actually often prefer the dumplings boiled because I like the soft and chewy texture and larger order (15 as opposed to 12 when you order fried). Having 'em fried is a nice treat, however, because of the beautiful battered presentation and deep-fried texture. Very heavy feeling after eating them though..
The hot and sour soup is seriously incredible.. nicely thick, actually spicy, and spiked with fresh cilantro. The order is HUGE. Good to split between 4 for a nice sized bowl each.
Other stuff on the menu.. noodles, salads, pancakes.. is lacklustre. The noodles are super greasy and very mildly flavoured. The beef and chicken in the noodle and nice dishes is poor quality, gnarly stuff. The marinated tofu tastes like generic 5spice tofu that you buy in Chinese supermarkets. The seaweed salad is very under-seasoned and tough. I avoid most things now, but try other stuff from the menu from time to time just to see if anything's changed. It hasn't. You get big, hot heaping plates with the rice/noodle dishes but its so bland you'll tire of it quickly.
but GREAT FOR DUMPLINGS!!!
There's a big of a hustle at busy times but I like the busy atmosphere.
As a warning: this place is cash only (good for them!) so plan accordingly or else you can run to one of the nearby banks at Dundas and Spadina.Listed in: vegetarian slacker
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Review from Mark G.
4/1/2012
I'm not going to argue with Edwin (previous Yelper) about the pan fried dumplings, as I haven't tried them, but I will disagree with "not the boiled dumplings." I LOVE them!
I ordered shrimp and pork boiled dumplings and they were just as awesome as I have had elsewhere. See, when I eat amazing dumplings, I pop the first few in my mouth pretty quickly to let my tongue and stomach get ready for happiness. Then, as I see my plate (or take-out container) emptying and there are only a few dumplings left, I slow down to savour each bite. Damn, these dumplings are good.
And, like several other people have noted, it's nice that your food is prepared to order. My only issue is that I wish it didn't take so long, because once I place my order, it's so difficult to wait, knowing that the food is going to taste sooooo good.
The dining room is small and crowded (another indication that the food is good) and I believe it was recently renovated (and it's nice). But I am in such a rush most times that I often get take out, so the lack of space doesn't bother me.
I am so glad that their name is so descriptive, otherwise I would have missed out on this awesomeness! Go to Dumpling House! -
Review from Edwin A.
Pan fried dumplings, Pan fried dumplings, Pan fried dumplings, Pan fried dumplings, can't say this enough.
NOT the
Boiled dumplings
Order the pan fried dumplings and you'll have a better food experience here.
It was the best pan fried dumplings I've ever had in the city. Shrimp and pork. There's no messing around with these, they are made fresh by the ladies at the front and then fried. They are served on a plate piping hot and each dumpling is connected like a lattice. See my pics.
I also ordered the Chicken Soup too. Something like $7 dollars for this oddity, nothing like mom used to make. Features fresh wheat noodles (ganmien), large pieces of chicken, and carrots. The bowl has enough contents to feed 3 hungry people. I was at it for 10 minutes and didn't make a dent. It's a good choice to go along with something dry like the dumplings.
Inside - it's a tight space, but the red interior is well appointed and much nicer than you think from the outside.
GOT DUMPLING? as the neon sign outside say. They sure do. -
Review from Thomas H.
3/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I enjoyed it for the first few dumplings. But the pan fried ones are VERY salty. If you know someone with high blood pressure, and you want them dead, this is the place for you.
Overall, it was ok. At least it was pretty cheap. But not tasty enough to compensate for the unhealthiness.
Despite it being late, service was quick and friendly. -
Review from Zoe R.
12/26/2011
Hey, pretty good resto considering I've passed by here dozens of time and never considered actually eating here -- until today! Good experience overall. :)
Have the dumplings! Made fresh on the premises, through the ample front window you'll see about two people standing long hours folding and binding dumplings with various fillings - anything from porc, shrimp, veg, or combo fillings.
You can have 15 Steamed dumplings for under $7/$6 or 12 fried dumplings for under $7/$6. We had, as most others seemed to, the fried version of our dumplings.
Careful - portions are a bit crazy large. Made to share. Prices are Very good. I'd stick with one dish per person or even two people. Most items are flour-based, and we filled us up very quickly.
Mom had the beef noodle (udon/fat noodles) dish. It was too sweet, but you can tone that down with the vinegar condiment provided on the table. I loved that they also offered hot mustard as well - not every Asian restaurant will decide to readily offer hot mustard, but I'm partial to it for certain items.
They were quick to offer free tea, and quick with coming around with any additional beverage ordered.
We also ordered a flour pancake (with green onions or chives?), $3.99. Very flour based. It was okay, but I wouldn't bother with ordering the pancake again.
Decor was definitely nicer on the inside than the outside. I marveled at how attractively the small restaurant was set up, given that the front of the restaurant looked like any other restaurant.
Best parts of this restaurant? The freshness of their dumplings, and other flour-based items made on the premises. Also, their prices and serving portions... were very generous. Service was quite nice and sincere. We had 2-3 people in total serving us at our table - short waiting times, and they were all so kind - ex: when I said Thank you for bringing us something, the waitress actually gave a quick pause and Thanked me back (for saying Thanks in the first place?)
Not so great parts?
Hmm... Dumplings were good, but we weren't as bowled over with their noodle or rice dishes. Or their pancake. All edible, but nothing that stood out at all.
Also, I was facing the entrance door, and there was a line-up that kept hawking us as we chewed and swallowed our food. Awkward. Family told me to ignore that. We weren't there especially long or short.
I'd definitely go again... In time, depending on mood and opportunity. -
Review from Joanne W.
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
My friends and I came here on Sunday evening. We ordered the following:
1) FRIED PORK & CHIVES DUMPLINGS: The fried dumplings perplexes me. HOW do they come out in such a lattice structure?! It was quite delicious, however, the amount of oil at the end sort of grossed me out.
2) MIXED PLATE (3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF DUMPLINGS): Please see above.
3) JELLYFISH: I love jellyfish, however, there was too much vinegar. Way too much vinegar. Also - felt more slimy that usual.
4) BEEF NOODLE SOUP: Perhaps I'm used to the Taiwanese beef noodle soups, but the beef wasn't the greatest, and the soup wasn't the best.
Overall, it was decent. However, I feel like I've had better Chinese food. I think the dumpling lattice was just a novelty for us. -
Review from Malini D.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2012
Om nom nom lamb fried dumplings. They are the best, so go order them!
So here's the deal: if this place wasn't so damn cheap and didn't have delicious lamb fried dumplings, it would get a 3/5.
The fried dumplings are tasty. Really! But not outstanding, and not "I'm going to wait in line outside in -25C weather for these dumplings" amazing.
So I specifically say fried dumplings because I tried an assortment of their "steamed" (I'm fairly confident that they're actually boiled) dumplings and they were forgettable. Avoid 'em. The fried ones are really good. They fry them with some... delicious batter? that fries to a crisp and it goes really well with a touch of soy sauce.
I've also had their hot and sour, and wonton soups. The former was pretty good, latter was good.
What sets this place apart from others is the quick service, low price point and the tasty, fried noms. -
Review from Angela N.
3/18/2012 1 photo
Came for a quick take out for dumplings yesterday. Many choices but just order the pan fried pork dumpling (12 for $6.99 plus tax). Food is made to order. You can watch the step by step process as your order is placed (i.e. dumplings are wrapped in the storefront and fried in the open kitchen). Friendly service. The dumplings are crispy and juicy albeit moderately filled parcels. Soy sauce, vinegar and hot sauce are of the prepackage vary but lucky not bad in the lease. Comfortable space and clean. Saw the lady cook the dumplings with some sorta broth/liquid which may be the reason for the ubiquitous "lattice," crispy flakes that come with each dumpling order. Unique. Great textural contrast makes for numerous tasty bites (i.e. plump, juicy, crispy, salty, tangy and spicy). Yum.
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Review from Nicole T.
Burlington, ON
2/7/2012
I walked into the restaurant and was greeted with a noseful of the most amazing-smelling dumplings I ever had the joy to smell (and later eat!) As my friends and I walked through the skinny entrance-way, and past the place where all of the dumplings are made, we were greeted by a friendly staff who led us to our table. We were seated right near the front, so we could see all the dumplings being made.
Before we ordered, our (very attractive, by the way) waiter brought us some tea. I was with two others, and we ordered a selection of 3 types of pan-fried dumplings, Shanghai noodles, and General chicken. All three were phenomenal. They brought the three out as separate courses; first the dumplings, then the noodles, then the chicken.
We got the beef, pork, and chicken dumplings. The chicken was by far the best. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was flavourful and moist and it tasted just like heaven in fried dough. The shanghai noodles were perfect. I've never had such good ones before. The chicken was also very good, though it didn't quite live up to the expectations that the other two dishes had set.
The waiter frequently checked up on us, though not in an annoying way. We left completely satisfied, with leftovers to boot! We ended up paying a total of 30$, so 10$ each. For this quality of food, and with enough leftovers for another meal for each of us, it was a total steal!
This is definitely one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while, and I can't wait to go back. -
Review from Tee Jay R.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2011
I am *obsessed*. I come to Chinatown with the objective of trying a new restaurant, and end up coming here again and again.
If you look up "economy of scale" on Wikipedia (i.e., if you are a huge nerd), you might just see a picture of this place. The ladies in the front furiously roll up the dumplings, the guys in the middle steam or pan-fry them to perfection, and the genial servers in their high-necked embroidered red coats sling them at you *piping hot* with speed and insouciance. It's a beautiful thing, the kind of small business that runs on pure momentum and focus.
If you can wait to eat them until they cool enough not to sear off the top of your mouth, you will discover the joy of a single thing done perfectly. Chive & pork, vegetable & shrimp, I have yet to try a better small bite of Chinese food at this price point, including at some of the toniest dim sum joints in the SF Bay Area. Absurdly cheap -- stuff yourself silly with 15 fried and 15 steamed and roll out of there for less than $18.00 incl. tax, tip & tea. -
Review from Jennifer I.
Downtown Core, Toronto, ON
10/18/2011
You eat until you feel like you're going to explode you're so full, and then you just keep eating.
4 of us got 15 pork and chive steamed dumplings; 12 pork and chive fried dumplings and then 12 assorted fried dumplings: pork and chive, mixed vegetable and black mustroom and spinach dumplings as well as noodles - everything was gone.
The price is $6.99 for 15 dumplings so very reasonably priced, and the service is good. -
Review from Michael N.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2011
One of my favorite Chinese food shops in Toronto. If you want something that tastes good but is not necessarily good for you then I would recommend a visit. Sometimes I get desperate for lamb fried dumplings, Shanghai stir-fried noodles and thousand year old egg on tofu that I ditch my car in the no parking zone outside and order take out.
The service is good by Asian standards. I would recommend Mandarin in the shop as Cantonese appears to cause confusion. -
Review from Flouny S.
Toronto, ON
11/30/2011
Tried this for the first time today after contemplating whether we should betray our loyalty to Mother's Dumplings. I wanted to order the pork and chives pan fried dumplings and xiao long bao (dumplings with soup and meat).
Alas, I was very disappointed they did not sell the Xiao long Bao's. when I asked the waiter he said they only sell dumplings but what he failed to realize is that technically speaking xiao long bao's are dumplings. When I pointed this out to him he said that xiao long bao's are buns. Technically the term bao is for buns (as in dough/bread) but there was no point. Actually I am surprised this place doesn't sell it because these people seem to be from northern china (where dumplings are very popular) yet xiao long bao is one of the staple dishes for northern cuisine.
Oh well.
The area to wait is very small so when larger sized people were walking out, it makes for difficult passing while you are waiting. Given the colder weather, you are definately going to brush up against people as they walk by and you wait to be served or wait for take out.
The Pork and Chive dumplings were good, a different take on Mothers. They pan fry them but put an egg wash mixture into the pan when frying so that the finished product has a crispy crust on the bottom. If you like the chinese soy vinegar with your dumplings make sure you ask for it because they won't include it in your bag.
Might try this place again, it is definately a shorter wait than mothers! -
Review from Anni L.
8/3/2011
I definitely like this place better than Mother's dumplings. The first time i went i was under-impressed but my second visit there exceeded my expectations.
We ordered the lamb steamed dumplings (15), the spinach/mushroom steamed dumplings (15), and the pan fried pork/shrimp dumplings (12). Enough dumplings to make you feel OD-ed but it was not my decision to order so many.
The lamb dumplings were just ok. It still had a bit of the lamb taste so I didn't enjoy it. The spinach and mushroom dumplings could have used some more flavor. I didn't taste much of the mushrooms. The best is the popular pan fried pork/shrimp dumlings. You have to eat them by dipping them in a saucer filled with soya sauce, vinegar, and hot sauce. How to mix the right amount of each in the saucer is what can make or break your experience.
They make the dumplings at the front of the restaurant. Very authentic and labour intensive, hence everything is made daily and very fresh.
I highly recommend it. They have a few other popular dishes like the shanghai noodles and rice dishes that we saw at the other tables.
The bill turned out to be around $25 including tax and tip for 2 people. I would definitely go back. -
Review from John B.
Toronto, ON
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best Dumpling house downtown. Fast, friendly, inexpensive, great choices.
Try the hot and sour soup and soya been curd! Mothers down the street sucks -
Review from Michael L.
Richmond Hill, ON
10/14/2011
Finally finished school for the summer and first stop...CHINATOWN!
These dumplings have been on my list of places to hit for a while, got the chance to cross this one off with my ever willing girlfriend =).
We chose to get 15 dumplings divided evenly between:
Steamed -
Mixed veggies
Black mushroom and spinach
Chicken
Final price was ~$7
Quality of the dumplings was superb and the time spent cooking them was only 10 mins. Service was great given that it was a takeout order.
Score breakdown (3.5):
+ves - food(1.5), service(1.5) -
Review from Toronto L.
Toronto, ON
7/26/2011
The Toronto Lover system:
5 stars = Must visit!
4 stars = Really good. I take my friends here.
3 stars = Somewhat worth it... if you have nowhere better to go.
2 stars = Below average. Attend only when necessary.
1 star = Do not visit!
Raise your hand if you want a plate of fresh delicious dumplings for $6 that will probably satisfy two people. Ok, now raise your hand if you want quick, efficient service in a clean, well lit Chinese restaurant at Spadina and Dundas.
Dumpling House does it right. They are constantly pushing dumplings out of their pots and pans, which means the food is always fresh and made to order. While it can be a salty experience, it is also an extremely tasty one. They do an excellent job of serving tea and water, as well.
Try a plate of steamed dumplings and a plate of fried dumplings, and definitely go for meat (shrimp or pork appear to be the tastiest.) They offer other delicious pan fried dishes and soups as well. The twice cooked pork ($8) is surprisingly bold and excellent.
The only danger is that Dumpling House might get too successful and raise their prices or change their system. One can only hope they'll stay true.
4 stars -
Review from Lauren M.
4/3/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Pretty good dumplings.
I have had takeout here before (dumplings 2 go!) but today I got to sit inside with a large group.
The place is busy and quite cramped for space. Tables are all very close together.
The owner (?) was super friendly and comped us some free pancakes.
We sampled a few orders of steamed dumplings (1 beef, 1 pork & chive, 1 chicken and a seafood/shrimp one) and a few orders of the pan fried ones too.
I don't like how the steamed dumplings are served. They come out on a plate and they had a lot of water/condensation on them still which made them hard to eat. Otherwise they were fairly tasty. Cheap too ($5.99-$6.99 for 15 of the steamed ones, and $6.99-$7.99 for the fried kind)
Overall, I still much prefer Mother's Dumplings across the street. I just prefer the food there and the atmosphere/decor.
Dumpling House did have better service though and is still definitely worth a visit if you are craving dumplings. -
Review from Yvonne T.
4/4/2011
After the Koffee Krawl UYE, we all huddled over to the Dumpling House Restaurant. We waited about 15 minutes for a table, which was not bad, considering we were a group of 11-12.
For $5 a head, we had happy tummies without feeling like we overate. Jennifer K. took charge of the ordering. We got to taste a variety of dumplings: pork, beef, shrimp to name a few in addition to a pan-fried onion cake.
The pan-fried onion cake was too greasy for my liking. The moment I bit into it I could taste nothing but oil. Albeit that it was very flavourful, but extremely extremely greasy. To iterate, when we were passing around the onion pancake, it almost slid off the plate because it was that "slick."
The steamed dumplings were very "wet" to the point where even skilled chopstick users had trouble picking them up. Judging from its presentation, and being sans bamboo basket, I would most probably conclude that they boil as opposed to steam their dumplings - which is probably why they are so hard to pick up with chopsticks.
The pan-fried dumplings were quite tasty, although I deduct points for only frying one side. Laziness is a peeve of mine. A pan-fried dumpling should be fried all around, not just on the crusty side that is presented.
I would probably walk a bit further down the street to Mother's Dumplings for my dumpling fix. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
4/6/2011 7 photos
I think I am spoiled by all these dumpling places uptown in Scarborough...
Dumpling House Restaurant is really not up to the standard when compare to them..
Steamed Dumplings?? If it is supposed to be steamed why were they boiled?? (-0.5 star) The reason I love my dumpling steamed because this cooking method preserved all the taste inside the dumplings and when you bite into one, the soup inside just exposed and your mouth will be filled with flavours!
The pan fried ones were dripped with oil... my chopsticks were all slippery...
Green Onion pancakes ($3.99) just tasted bland, oily and lack any green onion taste.. just doughy and oily!!
Price wise, it is more expensive than the dumpling places uptown, but I do understand that rent and operating cost is more downtown.. but at least work on making the dumplings better..
The owner was really nice and accommodating.. but I don't think I will be back here for dumplings! -
Review from Jess W.
Toronto, ON
9/27/2011 6 photos
If you're walking down Spadina in Chinatown, you can watch them making dumplings from the window. Since I had a huge craving for dumplings, my friend and I decided to stop by.
We started out with the Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings ($6.99 for 15). Unfortunately, like many others have mentioned, I believe these were boiled, rather than steamed. They were served quite wet still and since they were so plump and dense, it was difficult to picking them up with chopsticks. I found the skin to be a little to thick and the filling wasn't anything special.
We wanted to get some pan fried dumplings as well and settled on the Pan Fried Pork & Chive Dumplings ($5.99 for 12). The dumplings were served all connected together with a fried lattice net. I was afraid it'd be really greasy, but they surprisingly weren't. I loved the crispiness and the filling was moist and delicious. Loved this! Maybe we should have ordered the steamed dumplings with this filling instead.
We decided to supplement our dumplings with some Jellyfish - with cucumber and a mild spicy vinegar sauce ($5.99). Honestly, I don't know what we were thinking... this was just a bad idea from the get-go. When it arrived, we knew we had made a big mistake. This brown pile tasted as unappetizing as it looked. I like the crunchy texture of jellyfish, but this one was way too mushy and incredibly sour from the vinegar. It was as if this had been sitting in the marinade for days. Not good at all!
We also ordered some carbs - House Special Noodles - stir-fried noodles with chicken, beef, shrimp in brown sauce ($6.99). I don't know what "brown sauce" means, but it tasted similar to shanghai fried noodles...just not as good. The noodles contained a ton of minced garlic, which normally isn't a bad thing since I love all things garlic, however the amount of garlic was a little excessive as I could taste it in my mouth all through the night.
So lesson learned. If a restaurant name has "dumpling" in it, just stick to the dumplings. Actually, the "steamed" (aka boiled) dumplings weren't even that great. Maybe just stick to the pan fried dumplings... -
Review from Ben S.
8/22/2011
Went here for lunch and enjoyed it. It was great value for the money as well.
We ordered a beef noodle soup, which was ok but kind of bland, and an order of steamed dumplings fennel, pork and chive and something else that doesn't come to mind right now. As always, the pork and chive were the best, though the other two were nice.
The dumplings however were fantastic, they were reasonably priced, the restaurant was clean, service was friendly. Definitely one of the better values we got, and a very nice meal.
With thousands of other options around, i would still go back to this place. -
Review from Aviva S.
8/7/2011
Had the spinach and black mushroom steamed 15 dumplings for $6.85.
Good price, good portions, took a little long for takeout as my ready food sat there before a waitress gave me, there is actual service unlike some Chinese restaurants.
So why the low rating? The dumplings sucked. The flavour just didn't work and all my Chinese and non-Chinese friends refused to take my leftovers.
But according to some, Chinatown isn't the place for Chinese food. -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
3/8/2011
Thought I'd try this place, 'cause as a vegetarian, my dumpling consumption has been limited. When I saw the raves for the veggie options here, I thought I'd give it a taste test.
The two choices, mixed veg or spinach and mushroom, were a tad on the bland* side, but were good vehicles for the sauces, both soy and chili.
The hot and sour soup was good. It was smokier than any other I've tasted, and it's heat was good, both spice- and temperature-wise, but my bowl had a large glob of unidentified, gelatinous matter (probably un-blended corn starch).
If you like dumplings, you'll probably like this place. First timer? Try both steamed and fried versions.
*My friend assures me that the lamb version is "dump-licious"! -
Review from Alan W.
1/5/2012
Great spot for fresh dumplings made when you order. Very traditional simple dumplings, flavored well, and fresh dough. This place is nothing fancy, but they make great dumplings cheap! The noodles in brown sauce is also very good! Good Experience overall and recommended for dumpling lovers.
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Review from Sallio H.
8/7/2011
Firstly, this restaurant only takes cash. They need to update their profile so it's not misleading. I had to go to the ATM after being declined to use my CC. Had a gut feeling this may happen so I yelped it before heading there. Totally misleading.
It was my first time visiting the Dumpling House, several friends had recommended this restaurant, so i ventured out to the city and found this place. The waitress recommended the pan-fried pork dumplings and spicy seaweed. Spicy seaweed had a generous portion size, it's more for sharing and not for individual consumption. I was pleasantly surprised when the pan-fried dumplings came out. The dish came out in a pie shape which had a thin layer of batter on top of the dumplings. The batter was very light, and the pork dumplings were stuffed just right, not too big, not too small.
Price was very reasonable, the restaurant was small but clean, decor was simple but had a good vibe. I'd visit it again but will make sure to have cash on me. -
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 12/16/2010
The place has been renovated and it looks fantastic! The theme is bold and dragonishy red/ black. Looks really great :)
3 orders of dumplings and 4 dishes for $56. Once again, the dishes were "meh" but the dumplings were fantastic - going to stick with the dumplings from now on.
PS - this place only takes cash.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/19/2010
FYI: Dumpling House is closed for renovations from November 1 - 30th. Had a craving for dumplings… Read more »
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Review from Joyees Y.
Scarborough, ON
1/10/2011
Okay so I was walking aimlessly when I saw housemade dumplings by the window so I thought why not (and it was really cold outside).
So I went in to a crowded dining room and was hopeful.
First was the wonton soup. It was a flavorful pork wonton wrapped in a really thin and delicate skin with a wonderful soup. The soup had a strong flavor and kind of sour which makes a starter for the dumplings to follow.
I also had the raw potato salad which is when things started to go wrong!! It was cooked and hot, not like spicy but temperature wise. That just won't do, I wanted the traditional cold raw potato slices marinated in vinegar and oil, a nice refreshing appetizer and instead they made it to a main dish which is just way too much potato.
Then the dumplings were a mess. I asked for steamed but all their dumplings are boiled, and boiled to death. The thick wrapper just looked like it was disintegrating on the outside and became mushy and broke easily (even though the skin was really thick for my taste). I had a pork and cabbage dumpling which was bland, I had to use soy sauce and vinegar which I wouldn't have to with a GREAT dumpling. And then I had the lamb dumplings which were too gamey and the vegetable (chives?) they used it with kind of accented that. And I like lamb but a well prepared lamb dish wouldn't make me think the flavor is too strong (and off).
Dumpling King is better, which I've also reviewed.Listed in: Dumplings!
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Review from Denise S.
4/7/2011
I came here after the Koffee Krawl with a bunch of other Yelpers. I don't have much to add to their reviews.
Steamed dumplings: as mentioned by others, they were really boiled and slipping and sliding all over the dish! To me, steamed dumplings should be served in those round bamboo containers. That is the only proper way.
Green onion pancake: this was unfortunate, as it is my favourite
Northern Chinese dim sum dish! When I go to 369 (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) with my family, they have to order a separate one just for me because i won't share... SO good. But Dumpling House's rendition was disappointing. All dough-y and dry. There was a mix up in our order and when they brought the 3rd one to the table, we said we didn't order it. They offered to give it to us for free, but nobody wanted it...
Fried dumplings: they fared better here, I think. I liked the beef dumplings best. Although it is sort of funny that they come all stuck together...
Service was efficient.
The place was really busy on Sunday afternoon and there are celebrity photos on the walls (Adrienne Clarkson, Lang Lang). I had high hopes... but I probably wouldn't come back here again. -
Review from Payal D.
Brampton, ON
10/24/2010
This is my find find w.r.t dumplings in toronto. Most of the places I knew were in markham and yes, its no "markham" level. That being said, for the price ($8 for 18) you order, walk around for 10 mins, and pick them up...take them home...throw them in a soup broth or just eat them with your chili /vinegar sauce and you can't go wrong.
I do however agree, the wrapper is thicker than it usually is in other places. That being said, I'll gladly choose to eat these over the frozen bagged dumplings being sold in Oceans ANYDAY :) Fresh? yes. Handmade? yes. Hot? Yes
I'm sold. -
Review from Michael N.
Toronto, ON
7/3/2011
Some of the best food in Chinatown, hands down. Notable for being able to watch your dumplings being made in the window. Greasy as hell, but what else do you want when you're getting dumplings?! They also have a great menu besides dumplings, too - their soups in particular. The hot & sour is probably the best I've ever had. Their noodles are great too.
A lot of people remember this as a dive, but no longer - a recent update to their decor was very welcome. I've noticed a lot of people posting reviews criticizing the service ... I can understand, as they're unapologetic in how quick and impersonal they are. But given that there is almost always a line out of the door (especially at lunch & dinner), I appreciate being seated quickly, and getting my food equally fast. Never waited in line for more than 5 minutes, even when it's packed. -
Review from Joy K.
9/10/2010
I LOVE DUMPLINGS.
Randomly found this place while walking around Chinatown. For indecisive orderers, such as myself, they offer an option where you can order three kinds of dumplings to try, either steamed or fried. Naturally, I ordered both steamed and fried dumplings. I don't remember all of the fillings, but I was pleasantly surprised by the lamb dumplings.
Cheap and fast. I will definitely come again the next time I'm in Toronto. -
Review from Irina K.
We've been trying to find dumplings in Toronto, and something that is highly rated. My husband is a fan of steamed dumplings and I am more of a fried dumplings fan.
We ordered hot and sour soup, steamed cabbage dumplings (which blew me away), pork fried dumplings (did not enjoy them at all), onion pancake (which wasn't cooked thoroughly) - and we were stuffed.
I would say that steamed dumplings are good here, yet I wouldn't order fried dumplings or pancakes as they were either undercooked or were cooked in too much oil. I do believe there were a lot of MSGs inside which made the food tasty, but you do need to drink more water after. But the price, oh wow, can't beat that! -
Review from Robin D.
9/19/2010
Love this dumpling house. I don't find the food amazing or anything, but it is great place for cheap eats and dumplings.
You can order a lot of food to make a great complete meal. Shanghai noodles and egg drop soup for example. I have never seen a line up here yet, so that can be a plus when you just want to quickly be seated and eat. Staff are friendly here! -
Review from Regan W.
Toronto, ON
10/31/2011 7 Check-ins Here
These are by far the best dumplings I have found in the area (way better than My Mothers Dumplings). Not only are they good but cheap as well, I buy 3 dozen frozen pork and chive dumplings for $10 including tax and cook them myself at home.
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Review from Tara A.
9/26/2009
I happen to be moving into this hood and so I decided I needed to support the neighbours. I was always hesitant because The Dumpling house is one of the restaurants where "rats" have been spotted hanging out. I then realized that we live in a massive city with an underground and why the heck wouldn't there be rats and other critters living among us... So I put these reservations aside and try the veggie steamed and pan fried dumplings and hot and sour soup.
Price:
Cheap and amazing. for under $14 you can get all of the above.
Taste
Delicious!
Definitely worth a check out!Listed in: Favourite Restaurants in my…
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Review from Jasmine D.
Toronto, ON
10/25/2011
For two young women, we ordered 12 fried and 15 steamed dumplings. On a good day, we can finish them no problem. On other days (say, if i've had a bagel for breakfast haha), we had a harder time and maybe 2 or 3 had to be left or forced down.
Anyway, service is good for Chinatown, there is a bit of a delay for food but the poor women at the front have to make each dumpling by hand, to order, so it's understandable!
The steamed are probably boiled, but it doesn't bother me... i love their texture. the fried ones are pretty greasy but pretty damn delicious!!
My favouite is the spinach and mushroom. I dont know why people think it's bland...? I love spinach so it tastes amazing to me :) -
Review from Yane Y.
10/12/2009
I randomly walked into this restaurant after watching them make the dumplings from the window.
I regret not getting the pan-fried dumplings. As seen in the pictures, they looked and smelled delicious when they were bringing others' pan-fried dumplings out.
This place is a hole-in-the-wall. There seemed to be a handful of Chinese people here (which is a very good sign). It was awesome to see such diverse people eating here.
In an attempt to be healthy, I ordered steamed dumplings (12 pcs. for $5.99 CAD): shrimp & pork, minced beef, and pork and chives. All were tasty.
I went in the middle of the afternoon (around 2:30 pm). They stayed busy all throughout. The staff were able to get people in and out of the restaurant.
I saw some Chinese people dip the dumplings into a mix of the soy sauce and chile sauce. A little kick is a good thing, so I gave it a shot. After a couple bites, I couldn't get enough chile (hot) sauce.
All in all: a nice hole-in-the-wall joint with reasonably priced dumplings. They were tasty. I would go back again... except I would want to go with two others so that we could order tons of dishes and share them together. -
Review from Rafi N.
Toronto, ON
4/4/2011
I came here with a bunch of Yelpers after the Koffee Krawl UYE. I never ate these kind of dumplings before but now that I've tried it, I can move on.
The restaurant has a nice Asian feel to it. It is well decorated and very red. It took a while to get enough seats and while the dining area isn't large, it looks like it can hold ~50 people (maybe a little less).
We started our meal with a pancake made of onion with some herbs and I think potato. It was pretty much what you would expect from looking at it. I think it would be best eaten with some kind of sauce - maybe the red sweet & sour sauce or maple syrup. Next for me was the beef dumpling. It is just minced up beef in boiled dough. I couldn't taste much of the meat flavor and I used the red sauce and mustard (tastes like wasabi) as dipping sauce. I found the same to be true of the seafood dumpling. The dumpling are for the most part bland and they are drenched in the water they were cooked in. I can see that it's nice as a snack, but not a meal. Of course, all of this was washed down with the standard green tea.
The servers were quick and monotonous. They announced what they were bringing which was helpful. The manager was more social and cracked a few lame jokes.
Pricing was good as it came up to $5 per person.
I prefer my dough baked or fried. If you like dumplings, you may like this place.Listed in: I got Yellow Fever
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Review from Felix H.
7/30/2009
Wandered in here for dinner, ordered a plate of large lamb dumplings and kungpao chicken for a party of two. I love lamb dumplings, so I was excited for dinner.
Unfortunately, the lamb dumplings barely had a hint of lamb at all. It was green in texture and I had to ask the waiter whether there was in fact, lamb inside the dumplings. The waiter said that other people had asked about these dumplings before and that they were supposed to be like this. So stay away from these if you actually want lamb - I couldn't taste any and was actually wondering if I had just gotten ripped off.
The kungpao chicken was tastier, but I was annoyed at the charge for white rice (more than a dollar). Chinese restaurants should not be charging for white rice with an order of an entree.
