It is a bit confusing to see Mexican wraps and burgers on the menu of a Chinese restaurant. Though Dumpling’s is right about adding more food choices because of where it is located. People definitely want a wide variety in one place, but maybe change the part where the menu says ‘Asian Fusion restaurant’?

At the recommendation of the staff, I ordered their Spicy Chilli Dumplings, Dynamite Prawns, Crispy Beijing Chicken, Black Pepper Beef and their Signature Chowmein. The steamed dumplings had ground meat and chopped onion filling, and were served in spicy Schezuan sauce. While I think they could improve a bit on their filling, the skin was silky soft and elastic just as it should be and the sauce was finger-licking good! The prawns were crisp on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. As enjoyable they were, but the dynamite sauce was a bit of a let-down; it was quite heavy to digest and almost completely based on mayonnaise. But nothing was more disappointing than beef. Black pepper variation is one of the safest options you could go with; neither the chef nor the customer can go wrong with it. But the one in my plate was missing the key ingredient – black pepper. There was little to no seasoning in the gravy that had way too much cornflour in it and even had a thin layer of oil on the surface. The gravy solidified to an extent that it was difficult to mix it with the rice. There is also the issue of the restaurant not even having serving spoons to take a helping, but the utensils one is to eat with. The restaurant definitely needs proper training in setting service standards. The day was almost saved by crispy Beijing chicken – hot and spicy, thinly julienned chicken, stir-fried with carrots and capsicum. But my favourite was the chowmein, though spaghetti was used instead of a more appropriate pasta option. Chicken, beef and prawns were stir-fried with vegetables in a delicious red hot sauce. •

Location: Block 10, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi.
Average cost for 2: PKR 700 approx.

TASTE

The crispy Beijing chicken was a hit at the table, whereas my favourite was the chowmein. If they take care of a few other things, the restaurant shows potential to become a hit within the area.

AMBIENCE

For now, the space is small but comfortable. The interiors have a bright yellow theme which doesn’t really bother the eyes, and the wall has been painted with relevant messages. The place has been utilised as much as it could have been.

SERVICE

I am not sure if the service was slow because there isn’t much staff around or because they are new and catching up with things, but if your guest has to ask for everything from spoon to glass, it is definitely off- putting!

PRESENTATION

There is nothing fancy about food presentation at Dumpling’s. Things are kept as simple as they come, and that is never a problem if you nail your flavours.

VALUE FOR MONEY

To say that food is affordable would be an understatement! The serving size is incredible considering the price of the dishes. This is one place where you could stop by when you don’t want to spend much.