First of December, and it’s beginning to look a lot like… holiday lunch season.

Dumpling House has been a fixture in the #EastChinatown neighborhood for as long as we can remember.  The Li family has been introducing Riverdale families to a wide array of Northern Chinese cuisine for a couple of decades now.  This was the first place we tried dumplings back in the day.  Full of peak memories, we can safely say that this hole-in-the-wall is much like a fine wine.

Dumplings are the name of the game here.  Cabbage & pork, chive & pork, mushroom & cabbage, assorted veggie, dill & pork, beef, chicken, lamb, shrimp & egg… the list goes on.  Grab a dozen boiled, steamed or fried and lather them in chili-infused sesame oil.  And don’t sleep on their smashed cucumber salad.  This is, in our humble opinion, the quintessential sidecar to these little bundles of joy.

Zha Jiang Mian is, perhaps, our favorite non-dumpling-related menu item.  Minced pork, julienned cucumbers, chewy noodles, chili-hoisin gravy.  This dish tosses-up beautifully.  Great textures.  A strong lunch order  in #EastChinatown

We’re big fans of trying every chao on the menu, and Dumpling House literally has pages of iconic stirfrys.  We like our chicken spicy, so Kung Po is often part of our order.  But others meats are also well represented… Beef & Chinese Broccoli, Cumin Lamb, Crispy Pork Loin and Spicy Fried Whiting Fish are all Toronto Food Blog approved!

Dumpling House also has an extensive vegetarian menu if that’s more your speed.  On the spicy side, Ma Po Tofu, Szechuan Pepper Mixed Veggies and Braised Eggplant in Chili Sauce really pack a punch.  For those who like things a bit milder, Chinese Broccoli, Cabbage and Black Fungus and Sautéed Green Beans all come in huge portions that can feed a family of four.

The Toronto Food Blog is aligned in supporting local small business as much as we can right now.  While it’s just awesome for business owners to see patrons back in their dining room at increased capacity, who knows how long this will all last?  We’re getting the good stuff while we can… and continue to frequent the Dumpling House on a semi-regular basis for one of the best lunches on Toronto’s eastside.

Noodle Soup w/ Shredded Pork & Pickled Mustard Green