5 Restaurants Where the Dumplings Are Steamy!

Dumplings have become a staple dish in many different cultures across the world…we all love these delicious morsels, stuffed with all manner of temptations.

Did you know there are more than 25 different types and dumplings from Chinese to Indian, American, Italian, Korean and many more? They can be cooked three different ways – steamed as in Asian culture, pan-fried and boiled such as Italian gnocchi.

Here are five restaurants where the dumplings are steamy:

To create something unique, you have to mix things up and that’s what happens at Bon Bon Boy Pure Vietnamese on Little Bourke Street in East Melbourne. Expect a pure Vietnamese street food experience at this stylish two-level restaurant where full glass frontages let in an abundance of natural light and blond wood table settings beckon for lingering over a memorable meal.

 

Expect to devour starters of handcrafted steamed prawn dumplings, or pork and prawn shu mai, before sharing larger plates of tender pork belly with crunchy crackling and hoisin sauce, with sides of steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables; perhaps a vermicelli noodle salad tempts with lemongrass chicken, mixed salad and pickled carrot.

Those looking for the best and freshest Chinese dumplings on the Gold Coast head down Station Street in Currumbin to find Cranky Joe’s Ugly Dumplings. This compact eatery is unassuming with an A-frame sign directing customers to the back window, venture down the driveway and discover a spacious deck lined with tables and a grassed area shaded by an enormous tree.

 

Everything is handmade onsite offering both ready-to-eat and frozen take-home dumplings; stop to indulge in pork buns, rice paper rolls, coffee and much more. Start with pork and cabbage dumplings, or dip a spoon into a steaming bowl of dumpling soup; move on to braised pork belly sliders with Asian slaw, pickled cucumber and hot sauce on a bao bun, or chicken, vermicelli and lettuce rice paper rolls. 

Sunshine, share plates, cocktails and live music await at community-minded Anglesea restaurant the Love House on Great Ocean Road. For every guest who eats at this diner with stunning water views and sea breezes, one meal is donated to feed an insecure Australian child; kick back, enjoy the vista, sip a cocktail and enjoy knowing you have put a smile on a child’s face that needed it.

 

Start with housemade laksa chicken and prawn dumplings with soy, sesame, herbs, chilli and ginger, or pork and beef with crispy chilli oil; then devour finger-licking good Korean fried chicken with sides of steamed rice, Asian salad and roti bread, or a crispy battered fish bao with dill Kewpie mayo, slaw, pickled red onion and cheddar cheese.

Step into a dining experience that redefines traditional Chinese cuisine at DongSheng Restaurant on Lawrence Vale Road in Kings Meadows. Discover an old and innovative menu that showcases the rich history of China while embracing a contemporary twist, served in trendy surrounds of neon signage, an eclectic mix of accents and potted greenery; sip a Sounds of Nature tequila cocktail while grazing on starters such as pork, prawn and caviar dumplings in chilli oil, or Szechuan peppered calamari.

 

Hot and spicy bean curd stew with slow-cooked beef chunks served in a clay pot entices for the main, best enjoyed with sides of steamed rice and seasonal vegetables; or crisp braised duck leg, served with house salad and truffle fried rice. Seafood lovers opt for three treasure casserole with Tasmanian abalone, lobster, scallop and mushrooms in superior stock.

Take in the sounds of sizzling hot pots and tantalising aromas wafting from the kitchen at Portia’s Place on Kennedy Street in Kingston. This restaurant comes alive with the consistent hum of lively chatter in warm and inviting surroundings, making it a hub of food and fun for Canberra locals. Showcasing around 50 main dishes, Portia’s à la carte menu is a feast for the eyes and an experience for the senses, carefully crafted with seasonal and local produce.

 

Choose from starters of steamed pork and chive dumplings, or steamed scallops on the shell with ginger, shallots and a splash of hot oil; then devour crispy lamb ribs in Shangtung sauce, or sizzling beef with snow peas, cashew nuts and a side of steamed rice.