Dumplings and dim sum are definitely things that I like to go out for. Can I do them better at home? Often, but they are definitely fiddly to make, as it requires making several different types which can be time consuming and involves lots of processes. While it is definitely a fun endeavor, and I love making barbecue pork buns, generally I only get to do three different types at home, while when I go out, I can get as many as I can fit inside my stomach. Or even more than that, as generally my eyes are always bigger than my stomach when it comes to dim sum. After one long day in wine country, we returned home and decided to head over here to get our fill!
The venue is decently sized, with both indoor and outdoor seating. When we arrived on a Sunday evening, it wasn’t incredibly busy, but it did fill up by around 8 pm. We decided to order sake, and while the list wasn’t that long, there ended up being some nice bottles on there for us to enjoy. We ordered a round of food consisting of wood ear mushroom salad ($6.50), soup dumplings ($9), shrimp toast ($11), barbecue pork buns ($8), spring rolls ($7.50) and wagyu beef gyoza ($16). To be honest, we probably could have ordered it in two batches as it did kind of get sprung on us quickly, but it worked out well for the most part.
When things started to arrive, we were eager to dig in. First came the wood ear mushroom salad, and it was incredibly tasty. There was a nice kick of heat, and it was just great overall. The soup dumplings also arrived, and they were also pleasant, but hard to eat, as they do stick a bit to the aluminum foil containers they come in, so the became messy and hard to eat. The shrimp toast was fantastic, and very different from the kind I was exposed to in the UK, this one is more of a light spongy donut with shrimp on top. I also love a good barbecue pork bun, and while I think I make them slightly better, it is definitely easier to order them without the hard work! The spring rolls are really kind of generic, and probably won’t be something I’ll bother with next time. The best thing were the wagyu gyoza though, as they were super meaty and juicy, and they were incredibly full of flavor, and both sauces really helped. I felt like we should have ordered a second order of them because the first was just that good!
After the first round of dim sum, I was ready for dessert, but we also snuck in one more savory course of the lamb dumplings ($11). For dessert, we went with sesame balls (as I’m a huge fan, $7) and the beet and taro buns ($8). I really enjoyed all three dishes, although maybe we ordered one too many dishes, as we were quite stuffed when we finished them all. The lamb dumplings were delicious though, as the sesame balls were a great version of a classic dish. The buns were awesome, not too sweet and not too savory.
Dumpling time definitely scratched that dim sum itch for me with some classic dumplings, but also with a few original ones as well. They come out fairly quickly, so there isn’t a huge wait, which is nice, but does lead to perhaps ordering dinner in three rounds instead of two. The drinks menu is small, but we loved the sake we ordered, so there is seems to be a good deal of thought behind what they bring in. I think it’s going to become one of my regular places to go to for dumplings, and perhaps even a place to bring people who are unfamiliar with dim sum in general!
Score: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Wagyu beef gyoza, wood ear mushroom salad and sesame balls!
Dumpling Time
11 Division St
San Francisco, CA 94103
