Dong Bei Dumpling, Chinatown
Posted on 04-26-10 · Food trips & events Tags: Asian, Chinese
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Yesterday, we went to Chinatown because my daughter, Sam, needed to eat and take photos of Chinese food in relation with a school requirement. We’ve eaten in many places in Chinatown but I thought it would be better to allow for more variety — try new establishments and dishes that we’ve never experienced before. I searched Google for names that came up the most often and Dong Bei Dumpling was among the most recommended.
Dong Bei is really a hole-in-the-wall. A tiny place — so tiny that some of the tables doubled as counters where the kitchen attendants made the dumplings. A good and bad thing, really. Bad because it was a little inconvenient to wait for them to move their stuff to vacate a table for walk-in customers. Good because you get to see how the dumplings are prepared. Have sanitary issues? There’s time to walk out.
But that’s not the only good-and-bad about Dong Bei. Bad that variety is limited. Good because every dumpling is freshly made. And the flavors are authentic Chinese. Good that the servings are generous but they weren’t exactly cheap.
First, let me show you what we ordered.
We had steamed dumplings…
… fried dumplings…
Then, the xiao long bao.
Finally, the pancakes.
Four plates of dumplings plus drinks amounted to P520.00.
Okay.
Now, the thing about dumplings is that there are many kinds of dumpling skins. There’s opaque and there’s transparent. There’s thin and super thin. And there are even more kinds of filling. Pork, beef, crab, shrimps, vegetables, mushrooms, chicken, tofu… it’s endless, or any combination of two or more of these. At Dong Bei, there’s only one kind of dumpling skin. And the filling — it’s mostly a choice between meat (pork, from the taste of it) and a mixture of meat and kutchay (Chinese chives).
But despite the limited variety, the dumplings were delicious. I wouldn’t say the best because what’s best is always a matter of personal preference and I do abhor writers who imply that they have some kind of authority to use labels like the best or the Top 10 or whatever other catchy title they use. I find such practice irresponsible. At Dong Bei, for instance, the xiao long bao (soup-filled dumplings) was delicious but if you’ve been to Din Tai Fung, you’d know that xiao long bao could be so much more.
What makes Dong Bei dumplings really good is the freshness. The dumplings are prepared only after you place your order. You can even watch while they are prepared, take photos and ask questions (see how to make dumpling, illustrated). The cooks (mostly, Filipinas) are friendly and accommodating.
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When we have our food trip at Chinatown last year this was still closed probably because it was just 9am. When we went home around 3pm, we were already so full and had a lot take home goodies, so we skipped it. We also had a a soup filled dumpling but can’t remember the restaurant name. Gusto ko tuloy bumalik!
Lucky it was open yesterday. So many in my list were closed. Didn’t know Sunday was a slow day in Chinatown. The crowds started to arrive at dinner time though.
You take great pictures! What’s your secret?
Those dumplings look so good!
Seems like there’s a dumpling craze here in LA.
It’s a blessing that Din Tai Fungs’ Branch here
in So.Cal is 20 mins.drive from us.My children
don’t get tired of eating the soup dumplings
which I find it too pricey and impossible to
replicate at home.
You’re more than lucky because Manila is a
foodie paradise.
I am now really craving for dimsum!!!
EmyM, ay, try Taipei and Singapore. Guaranteed to ruin any diet. hehehe
Nikita, I crave everyday hehehe
Hi, connie.. another alternative to The President is “Wai Ying”, which is managed by the daughter of of The President )i was told, cant confirm) their diumsum came from the same kitchen..
Where is Wai Ying located? We’re planning on going back again. And again. hehehe
Wai Ying is very near President’s, less than 5 minutes. If you see the smaller President’s (the one along Benavidez street cor Ongpin, about 15 meters away from the main President’s), just walk a few meters along Buenavidez, it’s almost corner Ongpin. Wai Ying makes really good dim sum and congee.
A few shops from Wai Ying are Lan Zhou La Mien, Zheng Hu Fastfood, Maki Place and Shin Tong Yang (now named Happy Food).
Lan Zhou is better than Dong Bei–and slightly cheaper (about P5-P10 per dish but hey, it’s still cheaper :p). Not only that, it’s infinitely cleaner. Try their Beef La Mien (Chinese beef ramen), it’s the best seller, and the portions are really generous.
Zheng Hu Fastfood specializes in turtle soup. The turtle there is very delicious–imagine the texture of beef brisket, but tasting like tuna.
Maki Place serves different types of Maki noodles; think of it as pancit canton but with nothing but pork, and brothy and spicy :p
“Happy Food” specializes in their 3-viands-for-the-price-of-one promo. It’s easy to see because they also sell marinated eggs and different pastries in front. Their shrimp balls and camaron are really good.
Benavidez is known as “restaurant street” because all these restos–including Masuki down the road, and Poland, and others–are all situated there. Dong Bei is good, but there’s more variety along Benavidez street. AND THEY’RE OPEN ON SUNDAYS :p
You missed it, Ms. Connie–if you had just ventured a few steps away from President’s, maybe you would have seen them. It’s a smorgasboard of restos, and it’s cheap–around 100-200 per head per resto. :p
You can also take home “ulam” from the various stalls there on Sundays. There is a small food stall beside Wai Ying which sells Chinese donuts, some with peanut butter filling. It’s all very good. :p
Okay, now I really HAVE TO GO BACK. I do, I do, I do.
Ah, Wai Ying! That’s were i got most of the goodies i brought home! I have a map that my friend from Binondo gave me. I’ll email it to you. He probably forgot to indicate where Wai Ying is but there are others that he recommends.
Miss Connie, if Peterb sends you a correct map — and I trust he will hahaha — then the other restaurants I mentioned will be easy for you to find.
BTW DO stop by XinYiLong bakery–it’s along benavidez too! Same street as Waiying, super lapit. It’s the Red Ribbon of Taiwan. Try their SPINACH MAHU bread, it’s 50 lang for a loaf na siksik sa palaman, promise!
It’s 9.30 in the evening and you’re making my hungry hahaha
Lan Zhou La Mien is definitely a must try. We’ve been going there almost everyday since the first me and my officemates went there. They have great sauce to go with their dumplings, be it fried or steamed. Plus you get the chance to your noodles being made in front of you.
Must tries are Beef Kan Pan and Beef La Mien. Beef Kan Pan beef noodles but with the broth served separately. They have this sweet chinese sauce, which I would definitely want to buy but don’t know where, that go with the Beef Kan Pan. We call it chinese spaghetti
Go back! Go back! LOL
It was a pleasant surprise to see they allowed you to both watch and photograph. Most wouldn’t.
Yep, and the owner was just a few feet away from us.
This is so duh but how do I put in my fave breakfast vote? Can’t seem to find the right button.
There’s a little circle before each choice. Just tick, then hit vote.
I wonder if it’s anything like the Dong Bei-type dumplings available here in Shanghai? I had major culture shock when I first started working in Shanghai five years ago–the “Chinese” food I grew up eating in Manila is now called Cantonese food and I never did acquire the taste for Shanghainese food.
When a Chinese friend introduced me to Dong Bei cuisine, I was in food heaven. They use a lot of corn, beef and mutton. If ever you’re in Shanghai, you should try out Dong Bei Ren Jia–their dumplings and their lamb shanks are positively yummy!