Please Recomend A Chinese Dumpling Restaurant

[YumCha]

Hello all,

My first post!

I love Chinese dumplings and am wondering if anyone can recommend a great restaurant in Chiang Mai?

Also, could you please let me know the cost. I am hoping to find a place that is cheap and excellent because I am a pig when it comes to Chinese dumplings!

Thanks for your help.

[elektrified]

What is a Chinese dumpling? Checked google and it looks like those frozen things from Makro they sell in Japanese 'wannabe' places. Ah just remembered -- gyoza they call them.

Do you mean the things they sell in dim sun shops that are steamed? I forget what the Thais call them; kanom jeeb or something like that but I think you would get a lot of blank stares in you asked for Chinese dumplings.

[YumCha]

Yes, Dim Sum or the Thai equivalent would be perfect.

[ShopBoy]

Not in CM i know off but YES in Bangkok. Let me know too if you found one. I am hungry now thinking of it.

[LawrenceChee]

try the dim sum place at Star 88....it's cheap and good for eating your fill.

[elektrified]

There was a thread recently on Dim SUn. Maybe use the search function. As I recall, a few members agreed that the Oriental Dara Devi was the best. Be warned that many, many places in C.M. selling dim sun only use the frozen stuff sold in packs at Makro. The best I've had in Thailand was in Hat Yai (home made).

[NancyL]

The Chinese restaurant on the first floor of the Chiang Mai Lodge has Chinese dumplings for a good price. Don't know if they make them on-site or are using Macro, but it's suppose to be a "house speciality" Chiang Mai Lodge is behind Nakorn Ping Condo, on the soi across from the Shell station on Huey Kaew.

The Royal Princess in the restaurant in the Night Bazaar area is suppose to have a great Chinese restaurant and caters to Chinese guests, so that could be a place to try, as well. Haven't personally eaten there, but it's been recommended by friends.

[hellodolly]

It would seem to be unanimous.

Makro

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think the best is at Fujian, at the Oriental hotel. Fairly pricey of course, though not completely out there. Probably good value for what it is actually. http://www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai/fine-dining/fujian/

Cheaper, and made by a chef who worked at the above mentioned Fujian is a restaurant at 89 Plaza on the old Lamphun road. (Next to the G-Long burger place, I think it's called Shanghai Dim Sum), here: http://goo.gl/maps/8bsVc (Google Streetview shows the scene before the place opened)

Then one step below that, but still acceptable IMHO there are several places; perhaps the one on Chang Klan road, here: (Again Streetview shows the block before the restaurant opened) : http://goo.gl/maps/IPZ2g

[FolkGuitar]

If you can't find a place that sells what you like, they only take about 15 minutes of prep time and another 5-8 minutes of cooking time. They are easy as all get out to make yourself. My wife makes them when she's feeling too lazy to cook anything fancy. I make them just cuz I love 'em! You can Google a lot of good recipes, but simplest is best! Garlic and minced Spring onion and minced pork... Go crazy and add some minced bamboo shoot...

[barefoot1988]

depending on what dumplings . . siewmai, harkaw, wanton and stuff fujian is probably your best best, there is another dimsum shop that is by fujian ex chef, which is better apparently.

but if you are looking for real good xiaolongpao dumplings with broth still sealed in, i have yet to see anyway in cm

[mcgriffith]

There's one shop next to Isan Laan % (to the right, or east), directly opposite the main gate of CMU on the north side of Huay Kaew Rd.

that sells pretty decent Chinese dumplings.

You will notice that I hedged my bet, by stating "pretty decent".

Fresh made daily, steamed and filled with asst. ingredients.

Rather inexpensive and not necessarily a sit down place- take away is the MO with this one.

Has a big red banner- I want to say it says "Somsen Gyoza Restaurant" or something like that.

[FolkGuitar]

I'd like to ask what the OP considers 'Chinese Dumplings.'

To me, that term is only used for the Japanese (or Korean) Gyoza, also called Chinese Pot Stickers.

Hagao, Shuimai, Mam and a few others certainly 'are' Chinese dumplings but I've never heard them called as such, rather, usually called by their own names.

I'd like to ask the OP to look at the links to each of these, and tell us which it is that he's looking for. That would make it easier for people to direct him.

[mcgriffith]

The ones at the restaurant I referred to above, are indeed gyoza, or pot stickers.

Half moon, flat on bottom, rounded top with crimped edge. Made with rice flour dough as the outer layer.

I have had only the steamed, but I believe you can order them fried, so they are crisped on the bottom, and just steamed by heat on top.

Fillings are the usual- bok choy cabbage, ginger, etc.

Ground pork and shrimp as fillings are available as well.

Forgive me if I don't have all of the nomenclature right- I'm expert in a few things, but gyoza is not one of them.

[zziffle]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

[naboo]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

Yes! The OP wants cheap and tasty, this is the place. Busy all hours it is open.

http://www.toeydimsum.com/menu-en.html

[wjmark]

To me, that term is only used for the Japanese (or Korean) Gyoza, also called Chinese Pot Stickers.

Hagao, Shuimai, Mam and a few others certainly 'are' Chinese dumplings but I've never heard them called as such, rather, usually called by their own names.

I'd like to ask the OP to look at the links to each of these, and tell us which it is that he's looking for. That would make it easier for people to direct him.

Funny that they are called "Chinese" Pot Stickers in those countries, don't you think?. Actually pot stickers are Chinese, and they are common in Southern China!

There is a standard boiled Chinese dumpling that is called jiaodze (sorry for my own personal approach to phonetics). They are usually boiled (and sometimes steamed), and usually are made of pork, green onion, and maybe Chinese cabbage.

And there is the fried version, that is the actual Chinese "Chinese Pot Stickers", and they are called gwa-thip. Pan fried on one side, and then water poured on, and boiled off - leaves the dumplings crunchy on the bottom, and juicy on top and inside.

These fried ones usually have Chinese cabbage, and also dried shimp, and maybe bamboo-shoot plus other ingredients..

They are similar to the Japanese Gyoza, but different flavour inside. Japanese usually use a garlic-chive inside - Chinese usually use green onion...

At true Chinese DimSum (YumCha), you can often find the pan-fried gwa-thip, but never the boiled jiaodze. Those steamed dumplings are often found at Chinese BBQ and noodle places.

My favourite Chinese pot-sticker dumpling was made by Northern Chinese people. In their pot-stickers they used lettuce instead of cabbage, and no dried shrimp or bamboo shoot. Very light, juicy, almost sweet, delicious taste. They were my favourite.

There was a small Thai dim sum place on Suthep road that made similar pot-stickers (with the lettuce), and they also had bits of shrimp mixed in. Fantastic. But they closed 2 years ago...

I forget the name of the fancy Chinese restaurant on Niemenheman soi 5 - but they do solidly good DimSum - Chinese style. But no pot-stickers.

[wjmark]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

Yes! The OP wants cheap and tasty, this is the place. Busy all hours it is open.

http://www.toeydimsum.com/menu-en.html

This place is pretty good and cheap. But you can see from the menu that it is the standard Thai versions of DimSum. You can see they have gyoza (Japanese version of Chinese pot-stickers), but they are steamed (and too doughy for me).

But it is good - I eat there occasionally...

[kilt]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

Yes! The OP wants cheap and tasty, this is the place. Busy all hours it is open.

http://www.toeydimsum.com/menu-en.html

+1

Favorite Dim Sum place. Used to be a secret 19 baht a dish. Freshly made, hot... busy place.

[beb]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

Yes! The OP wants cheap and tasty, this is the place. Busy all hours it is open.

http://www.toeydimsum.com/menu-en.html

+1

Favorite Dim Sum place. Used to be a secret 19 baht a dish. Freshly made, hot... busy place.

I just moved into this neighborhood and am dying to go to this place. The display on the street looks great. In the heat of the afternoon it wilts a little but wow this looks good.

[weary]

Toey dim sum. Hmmm... yummy.

http://goo.gl/maps/r3kQY

+18° 46' 41.40", +98° 59' 46.07"

Yes! The OP wants cheap and tasty, this is the place. Busy all hours it is open.

http://www.toeydimsum.com/menu-en.html

This place is pretty good and cheap. But you can see from the menu that it is the standard Thai versions of DimSum. You can see they have gyoza (Japanese version of Chinese pot-stickers), but they are steamed (and too doughy for me).

But it is good - I eat there occasionally...

Yes, have to agree with the second commenter... That's the first place I had Dim Sum at in Chiang Mai, some 9 years back. It's very popular with locals, but I think it's distinctly average compared to the 89 Plaza Dim Sum place, which is in a similar pricing bracket. Each to their own.

[LawrenceChee]

Have a look at the thread I started ...under hotel buffets and Chinese Dim Sum.

For good chinese food Fujian @ Oriental & JIa Tong Heng (Super Highway Branch) are as good as it gets in terms of quality, taste and presentation. Not cheap.

[LadyHeather]

Actually I am pretty sure jiaozi is the word for all dumplings; boiled dumplings are xuejiao, steamed are zhengjiao and pan fried are guotie.

Taiwan restaurant is the Chinese place behind Nakorn Ping, and all dumplings are made on site. If they run out you have to come back the next day.

[Chicog]

It's easy to make your own, and you can then experiment with your favourite ingredients and spices; Look in the freezer section where they do the spring roll wrappers and you'll find Gyoza wrappers (or as the Americans call them, Pot Stickers). I know these are actually Japanese dumplings, but with your own fillings and flavourings they can be yours instead. The wrappers are a big plus, it's quite a pain to make them yourself to the correct size and thickness. They aren't expensive and I'm sure you'll find them in one of the supermarkets.

There are several ways to cook the dumplings, you can boil, steam or fry. My favourite is Yaki Gyoza, where you fry the flat bottom a bit and then steam the rest of the time, so you get a great bit of crispness as well.

I know these are actually Japanese dumplings, but with your own flavourings they can be yours instead.

A lot of the fun is trying out new ingredients, I've found bacon, shrimp and hoi sin to be quite delicious!.

P.S. While trying to find a picture I found this instead. The weekend's cooking experiment is now decided!

http://www.foodhoe.com/2009/08/washoku-warriors-pork-and-wakame-gyoza-with-edamame-rice/

[mania]

I am not a dim sum aficionado but a Thai man & his wife

took my wife & I to a Chinese restaurant upstairs in the Holiday Inn to

have some.

As I said I am not one to say if it was good as far as dim sum goes because I have no reference but tasted good to me.

My wife said it was better than Toey

Price wise i do not know as the man who took us paid.

It was a very nice restaurant though & I am sure it costs more than Toey

[mcgriffith]

Great comments and postings.

Funny how when we are not talking about hamburgers or pizza, everything seems to be more (dare I say it) zen?

All get along, we enjoy each others opinions and ideas, with a very mild level of disagreement about terminology, taste, etc.

Hamburger Wars vs. Gyoza Peace...gyoza wins hands down.

[seesip]

There's a place on the bottom floor of Kad Suan Kaew (Central) near Subway that has Chinese food and a selection of dumplings including the soup filled Xiaolongbao. Not super high quality but decent.

[YumCha]

Thanks everyone for your terrific input!

I will be staying near Tapae Gate so it seems that Toey is the go for me as it is within walking distance.

The suggestion of cooking my own is a great idea and something I will definitely pursue should I stay in Chiang Mai longer-term.

[elektrified]

There's a place on the bottom floor of Kad Suan Kaew (Central) near Subway that has Chinese food and a selection of dumplings including the soup filled Xiaolongbao. Not super high quality but decent.

Pretty sure those are frozen from Makro. Ate there once...

The same couple owns the Chinese place, the curry (Indian) place, and one of the coffee kiosks all there in the same area. All aimed at the tourist market...

[wjmark]

Taiwan restaurant is the Chinese place behind Nakorn Ping, and all dumplings are made on site. If they run out you have to come back the next day.

I don't know that restaurant - do you have more details please?

There used to be an old-style Chinese Tea House and Dim Sum place somewhere behind Suriwong books. I went there years ago, and now I can't find it. I think the whole block has been torn down. If I am wrong, and this place still exists, could someone supply directions - I looked about 4 times over the years and couldn't find it again. I remember it was very good... sigh