The same team of popular dumpling spot, Dumpling Home in San Francisco, makes their way across the bridge.
While I’ve never been to Dumpling Home, I’ve passed by it several times in Hayes Valley and always see a line out the door. I was actually surprised that they opened a sister restaurant in Oakland and was intrigued if the dumplings lived up to the hype. Dumpling Hours has a concise menu of a few appetizers, various types of xiao long bao, several boiled dumplings, fried items, and a few noodle and vegetable dishes. Since this was our first time, we ordered some of their most popular items.
Pork Xiao Long Bao (8.5/10).
They had a lot of choices for their xiao long bao but I wanted to try the classic pork filling without any additions. We were both pleasantly surprised as the dumplings were nicely prepared since the wrapper was thin and there was an abundant amount of soup in each dumpling. I’ve tried some xiao long bao in the past where the wrapper was too thick and almost gummy which has an unpleasant mouthfeel. My only criticism was that the vinegar and ginger sauce that’s eaten with xiao long bao wasn’t as pungent as I would have liked.
Shrimp, Pork, and Vegetable Pot Stickers (8/10).
Not your typical pot stickers since these had a crispy skirt which was a nice addition. However the batter could have been slightly thinner making for a more delicate dumpling skirt (this is being nit-picky).
String Beans with Garlic (8/10).
A classic vegetable side dish that always hits the spot are blistered string beans.
Pork Wontons with Sesame Sauce and Chili Oil (8.5/10)
Without a doubt the sesame sauce and chili oil made these boiled pork wontons. It was the right balance of creaminess with just a hint of heat.
Pan Fried Pork Buns (8/10).
Lastly were the pan fried buns which were delicious but I like a place in the Outer Sunset more for these (Tommaso disagreed). Something about the dough was different from previous pan fried buns that I’ve had.
We were both surprised by the quality of the dumplings especially the xiao long bao. If you’re in the mood for strictly dumplings, this is the place for you! My overall rating is an 8-8.5/10.