In the hustle and bustle of Downtown Palo Alto, it’s easy to get lost in the variety of options for your next meal. From traditional ramen to Indian cuisine-inspired pizza, this area is known for its rich flavors. Before I ventured down the street I could smell the pork aroma and hear laughter from nearby restaurants. My nose led me to Dumpling Hours. It opened last spring and has had booming success since then.
While I’m no stranger to Chinese food, the bar being my mom’s Chinese recipes passed down for generations, I can vouch for the fact that this is authentic cooking.
In fact, many Palo Alto residents are in the same boat as me: Palo Alto is home to over 23,000 Asian Americans. While the city has no shortage of boba shops, no Asian restaurants could quench my thirst for a delicious Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumpling) until Dumpling Hours opened.
The restaurant operates on a first-come-first-serve basis and as I waited to be seated I took in the intricately drawn water lilies decorating the restaurant walls. The artist took inspiration from the Chinese art style, Dan Qing. This extra step immerses the customer in a world of Chinese history. After waiting for a few minutes the host promptly seated me and I realized the restaurant was filled with chatter from customers and waiters communicating in Chinese. Many of the customers range from families with young children fighting over the last dumping to an old couple sitting in the corner enjoying their tea. While I was able to have conversations with some of the customers, getting an interview with a member of the management team proved much more challenging. However, Palo Alto High School student Kashi Tuteja had a delightful time at Dumpling Hours.
“I went with some friends and we enjoyed most of what we ordered. Also, there wasn’t much wait time which was a nice bonus,” said Tuteja.
Many friends also recommended this place, so I was eager to see what the hype was about. While scanning the online menu I was pleased to discover the wide variety of foods they served. My mouth watered as I pictured the juicy pan-fried pork buns and crispy green onion pancakes. I had to remind myself my eyes were bigger than my stomach.
The key to ordering at a Chinese restaurant is to choose one dish from each group: one spicy, one vegetable, one stir-fry, and one steamed. It is highly recommended to go to Dumpling Hours with friends, as this allows the customer to try different flavors and experience various sensations.
Ordering proved to be easier than expected. The hostess was very accommodating, noting all allergies and dietary restrictions. The restaurant features a full staff, but viewing the menu and ordering are all done electronically.
The menu highlights many steamed dishes ranging from seafood to hot and spicy pork dumplings. Dumpling Hours also offers a wide selection of noodle options such as ginger and scallion, braised beef soup noodles, soybean paste dry noodles, and many more.
I whipped out my phone to order and soon, steaming hot plates of dumplings and fried vegetables decorated our table. The steamed vegetable dumplings filled with only the freshest ingredients melted in my mouth. The juicy pan-fried pork buns featured a delicious hearty soup with the added depth of crunch from the fried bottom providing explosive flavors and added textures.
While already impressed by other foods, I was pleased to discover that the xiao long baos are literally and figuratively bursting with flavor! The translucent skin was rolled so thin that with the tip of my teeth, I was able to burst through it and slurp the rich savory broth.
We followed the savory course by deep-diving into the spicy dan dan mian noodles. On the menu, this appetizer features oily spicy sauce and diced-up meat. Our waiter brought over the dish, including an interactive element where he drizzled the sauce from a bowl and made the glassy noodles dance as he tossed them.
A traditional dish in Chinese Dimsum is the shrimp and pork siu mai. For me, this one missed the bar. The inside filling consisting of fresh shrimp and pork was abundant, however, it leaned towards the dry side with no strong flavors. This dish is a staple in most Chinese restaurants, so I was deeply disappointed.
While the siu mai was a letdown, I realized the simplest dish was the highlight of my meal. My personal favorite of the night was the sauteed garlic green beans. This dish had me scraping every last sesame seed from the charcoal gray bowl. Even though it only consisted of green beans, garlic, oil, and salt it showcased explosive tastes that left umami flavors in my mouth. Initially, I was hit with a delicious garlic punch, then the crunchiness of the vegetables and sweet coating took over.
Despite the deliciousness of the meal, one of my concerns regarding Dumpling Hours is the cost. It is definitely on the pricier side for teenagers and larger groups. The iconic xiao long baos are $16.95 for eight dumplings, running about $2.15 per dumpling. Paly senior, Natalia Arias shared a similar experience.
“I do think that it can be a little pricey, but it’s a great place to go to treat yourself to,” Arias said.
Another concern is the limited dessert menu. After a long dinner, I wanted a lighter dish to finish the meal, but to my surprise, the only available option was the fried sesame balls. I would like to see more variety, but I suppose I can take comfort in the fact that downtown Palo Alto has no shortage of dessert places.
Overall, Dumpling Hours adds to the buzz of downtown Palo Alto. This restaurant represents the culture and identity of many Asian Americans in Palo Alto filling the much-noticed gap. While it is on the pricier side, the soft silky dumplings and phenomenal flavors make this place worth visiting.
“Bun” Appétit!
Dumpling Hours
530 Bryant St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday: 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.