It was a Saturday evening, and we were feeling a little lazy and unproductive.
To make things worse, we just didn’t feel like cooking.
I mean, who has time for that on a weekend when everyone else is out there partying and having fun?
So, it was pretty last minute, and we decided on the fly to head over to The Dumpling King. Just because we were craving for some dumplings and noodle soup.
It’s the perfect Chinese restaurant to go to when you don’t feel like dressing up or meeting up with friends. Simply dine ‘n dash with your casual sweatpants and tee-shirt — no one’s going to judge you!
Luckily, the drive wasn’t far either. We live in Scarborough so the travel time was short.
They have two locations – one in Scarborough at Midland and Finch, and the other in Markham at McCowan Rd. and Highway 7. Scarborough is closer to us, so we decided to dine-in at this location. Plus, this is their first and main restaurant, so we figured it would probably be better here.
Anyways, let’s cut the chase and get into our review. We know you just want to hear whether this place makes it to our list of the best Chinese dumpling restaurants.
In other words, is The Dumpling King worth it?
The Dumpling King Scarborough Review
Here is a list of things we ordered from their menu (for two people) along with our thoughts:
- D1: Braised Beef Brisket Noodle Soup
- B4: Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Mini Pork Dumplings)
- A1: Leek, Shrimp, and Pork Dumpling
- A29: Steamed Mixed Vegetable Dumpling
Food: 3.6/5
Braised Beef Brisket Noodles
We decided to order the beef brisket noodle for my husband because he’s a die-hard fan of all types of Asian beef noodle soup.
Whether it’s pho noodles with thin slices of beef, Japanese ramen noodles with beef, or Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles with shaved beef, you can count him in! He just loves his beef noodle soup!
With Dumpling King’s Braised Beef Brisket Noodle Soup, we thought the soup-base was good with A LOT of beef brisket flavour. He chowed down on all the noodles and even finished the entire bowl of soup to its last sip! Did I mention he loves to drink his soup, too?
Anyways, what we also thought was good about this order was the generous portion of noodles they give. Compared to other restaurants, especially Japanese noodle restaurants, this place gives you quite a bit of noodles. It was almost double, and that’s why I had the chance to sneak in a small bowl for myself without him knowing – hehe!
These slippery and soft noodles were not thick nor thin. They were medium-sized and just perfect for this bowl!
The more you soaked the noodles into the beef brisket soup, the more flavour comes out!
The soup base broth was nice, hot, and flavourful. It wasn’t super oily, but it wasn’t considered “light” either. For sure you’d get some “fat” in there, but let’s be real here, it’s beef brisket so of course there’s fat.
The beef brisket was quite fresh, tender, and not rough. They gave about 9 pieces of beef, so that was generous. Although it wasn’t the best beef brisket we’ve had, it was still good.
The Chinese vegetable, bok choy, paired well with the beef brisket and noodles – it was nice and crunchy.
Some people may be wondering whether this order is spicy. We’d say no, it wasn’t even close to being spicy even though the menu labels it as “spicy.” There was a very slight touch of spice which you wouldn’t even notice at all, but if you keep eating into it, you will start feeling some spice. Again, it was not noticeable, so it would disappoint people who enjoy spicy food. Even a person who doesn’t take spice wouldn’t have noticed it.
Overall, this was some good-tasting braised brisket noodle soup. We’ve had better, but given the amount of noodles and beef in the bowl, we were satisfied with the portion. On the plus side, it wasn’t expensive, so you’d be getting good value for your money when you order this.
Xiao Long Bao
Xiao Long Bao is a soup-based pork dumpling that many delicious dim sum restaurants serve in both Toronto and Scarborough. If you haven’t tried these juicy mouth-watering Northern Chinese dumplings, then you’re really missing out on the good stuff!
Dumpling King isn’t a dim sum restaurant, but their Xiao Long Bao will not disappoint you.
Whether you want to eat it as your main dish, or appetizer, we just know you won’t be able to have just one xiao long bao. It’s quite the addiction, so don’t be surprised if you keep coming back for some more! For that reason, we recommend calling for two orders if you are a xiao long bao lover.
They serve you 6 pieces, so it’s not a lot, but that’s just how dim sum is served at all restaurants.
It was super juicy and the soup inside is generally REALLY hot when it’s freshly served, so be careful to not burn yourself. Wait 5-8 minutes before popping them in your mouth to avoid the burn. The soup and juicy centre will gush in your mouth the moment you take that first bite.
The skin was thick, smooth, and chewy which goes well with the crushed pork inside.
Oh, we just love how the soup explodes in your mouth when you pop the whole thing in! Of all the dishes we ordered, we believe this was one of our favorites tonight.
Steamed Mixed Vegetable Dumpling
This dish is perfect for those who are vegetarians or prefer no-meat dishes.
The Steamed Mixed Vegetable Dumpling at King Dumpling comes in 8 pieces, so you get an extra two dumplings compared to the Xiao Long Bao order.
There is tofu, carrot, mushroom, fungus, and cabbage. You can actually taste the tofu, cabbage, and mushrooms.
The colour of the skin is green and white – I think it’s their way to distinguish this dumpling as a veggie option. Similar to their other dumplings, the skin is thick, chewy, and smooth.
We admit that it’s not as tasty as the meat or seafood dumplings but it’s still a good option. Just don’t keep eating this because you may feel like you’re getting bored or tired from eating the same type of dumpling.
Mix it up with other dishes for an interesting and more delicious variety. It’s not like your other more popular dumplings with meat or seafood fillings where you feel like it’s never enough.
Again, it’s perfect for vegetarians and those looking for a healthier alternative
Leek, shrimp, and pork
My husband actually finds me very picky about this particular order since he thought it was a decent side. He thinks I’m being too harsh – haha!
But I don’t think I’m harsh. I’m just being honest.
This shrimp dumpling came in 12 pieces and had shrimp, leek, and pork inside. I think it even had a little bit of steamed egg because it tasted like it.
I personally didn’t like how the shrimp filling was too small. Like VERY small. It was NOT jumbo shrimp (not even medium size), so it’s definitely not comparable to the shrimp you get in most har gows, siu mais, and wontons at the best dim sum places in Scarborough, Markham or Richmond Hill.
Especially, if you experienced and compare the wontons from Jim Chai Kee or Big Trio Wonton, you’ll think the size of these shrimp dumplings is a joke.
It barely had any shrimp texture and flavour. When I say flavour, I’m talking about the natural flavour you get from the meat and not any sauce you dip it in.
Maybe I’m just a huge fan of shrimp and I like them when they’re jumbo and juicy! I mean, girl needs her protein, man!
In other words, there was not enough filling. It could have honestly used more filling and MORE shrimp. I can’t emphasize this point enough LOL!
It feels like they were cheaping out on both the quality and quantity of shrimp.
Although this dumpling wasn’t horrible, it was still tastier than the vegetable dumplings because of the soup-based filling and meat, but not as good as the xiao long bao.
I have to admit that I did like that there’s soup filling inside this dumpling. It’s what kept me satisfied despite the lack of shrimp.
You can dip this dumpling in their soy sauce and add some spice to it if you’re a spicy eater. I ate it plain ‘n simple because I don’t generally like dipping my food in soy sauce, or any sauce for that matter (unless it’s some REALLY GOOD and special sauce) since I like limiting my sodium intake. It’s just not worth it IMO. Plus, I enjoy appreciating the natural flavours of food. 🙂
Overall, he liked it. Me, not so much, but I didn’t hate it either. I just preferred Dumpling King’s Xiao Long Bao.
Service: 3/5
The service was quick, efficient, and to the point.
The servers here speak fluent Mandarin but will take your order in English. I don’t think they speak Cantonese – at least the servers we spoke to didn’t seem to understand or speak it.
They weren’t rude, but not what you would call “friendly.” Unlike Western restaurants, they don’t do any small talk or chit-chat. They’re just here to take your order and give you what you want. They will punch your order in the iPad and come out with your food very quickly.
Ambiance: 3/5
Dumpling King restaurant in Scarborough is very clean and well-presented. The décor isn’t old-school since it looks like they did a small reno or update.
The seating is spacious, and tables are far from each other. In other words, it’s not crowded, and you won’t feel like it’s too cramped or tight.
Again, it’s the dine ‘n dash type of restaurant. But of course, you can take your time to eat if you’re in no rush or just hanging out with a group of friends.
Price: $$
This bill was for two people without any drinks. There are a ton, and I mean a TON, of nearby and top bubble tea shops around this area, so you can also stop by for their drinks after your lunch or dinner here.
The pricing of their food is comparable to other similar restaurants. If you only order from the dim sum menu, you will find that the bill can be high since appetizers and dim sum orders require more food to fill your tummies.
However, if you order noodle soup (like the braised beef brisket we had) or rice dishes, you’ll be getting more bang for your buck. I still recommend ordering 1-2 dim sum dishes (or dumplings) as an appetizer or starter meal. After all, this restaurant is called The “Dumpling” King.
Lastly, during our visit, they offered a discount of 5% when we choose to pay in cash.
Overall, we’d say The Dumpling King isn’t expensive at all. It has some good and authentic Chinese food at reasonable prices. Again, the braised beef brisket and Xiao Long Bao were our top picks for the night.
The Dumpling King Rating:
We rate The Dumpling King 3.7/5 stars. The food is good at a reasonable price range. It’s mainly the price that made up for the rating since we had better-tasting food at other Chinese dumpling restaurants, but they were much pricier. We always believe you get what you pay for.
We’d say The Dumpling King is the place to go to when you’re craving for some dumplings, noodle soup, or rice at the last minute. It’s’ also the perfect place to consider when you’re feeling lazy and don’t know where to go.
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