31 Cambon Dr, San Francisco CA 94132
(415) 333-1199
Parking: strip mall parking lot
Hours: Daily 11am-8:30pm
order.mealkeyway.com
Last Visited: June 5, 2022
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$$
It's hard to imagine that a little dumpling shop in the Parkmerced strip mall could stand out this much. In the short three months that it has been under this new owner though, they have already started to gain attention despite being fairly discreet.
The inside looks like it has been remodeled with modern decor mixed with old style art figures painted on the walls. The open kitchen gives you a view into the dumpling making and dough making that will keep you entertained.
- Braised Beef Brisket Noodle - It looks like a small bowl, and it is, but it's packed with flavor. This is easily split into two small bowls and each piece of beef brisket is super tender. A few pieces of shanghai bok choy and green onions cut the mild spice of the broth. The amount of meat is a good quantity (about 8 pieces) and you will probably be about 60-70% full if you just ate this dish. It has a good amount of oil that keeps it very hot, but you don't walk away feeling it's too greasy. Solid. $14.98
- Pork XLB (Xiaolong bao) (6) - The photo is a bit blurry because of the amount of steam coming from this basket. What I was most surprised by was how white the dumplings look coming out of the kitchen. What was even more surprising is how they are on par with Ding Tai Fung. The skin is thin and the top isn't too thick. Not a single one was broken and each was filled with a good amount of soup. I would definitely get these again. $10.98
- Pan Fried Pork Bao (6) - These were unique in shape, but also in texture. Most times, pan fried bao are more bread-like in texture - bottoms are crispy and the bun is fluffy. These on the other hand are crispy on the bottom and side, and more like a dumpling in its skin. The filling is like a soup dumpling - an abundance of soup and meat like an XLB. It's impressive how crispy the bottoms are which gives it a really good contrast. It seems a bit pricey, but worth getting at least once. $12.98
- Steamed Cabbage and Pork Dumpling (8) - While most restaurants offer dumplings boiled, and maybe fried, Mom Dumplings actually steam them. The skin was very thin - much thinner than many other dumpling shops. A couple were broken though, so the juices within had leaked out, but still very tasty; for the ones where the juices stayed in the wrapper, the flavor was great and additional dipping sauces aren't really needed. $8.98
- House Special Chow Mein - Really good wok hay on these chow mein is what makes this a great dish. Small shrimp, large slices of chicken breast that have been tenderized, and diced barbecue pork are stir-fried with a variety of vegetables including green onions, carrots, cabbage, chopped snow peas. After finishing the noodles, it is noticeable that there is some oil leftover, but that kept the noodles hot during our entire meal. $14.98
- Chicken Fried Rice - Since I got this as a takeout item, it's a little flat in the photo, but it had good wok hay and taste. Of the dishes, this was my least favorite, but certainly passable as everything is diced small and flavor is fine. $12.98
To sum up, I would say Mom Dumpling offers XLB and dumplings and noodles that are on par with Ding Tai Fung quality and prices, but not equal in service or decor. In some cases, the value is not as good as DTF, but at the same time, you won't have to wait as long either. Mom Dumpling is worth giving a try for high quality dumplings. Another tip is that if you order online, you'll get 10% off your first order.
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