During depressing times, it’s nice to have a bunch of dumpling updates, amIrite? First up, Cathay Bi of the wildly popular DUMPLING CLUB subscription service (did you know you can also order them via Pastel!) suddenly announced a pop-up for takeout dumplings at her Mission kitchen last week (she recently took over the Tinker Kitchen space!). You can read all about the permitting process to operate as a restaurant in order for her to be able to do this. She timed the pop-up last week with the Mission Farmer’s Market (Thursday 4pm-7pm), offering ready-to-eat shrimp and pork wontons, plus sauces and sides (edamame, kimchi), and frozen goodies to take home. I checked in, and the team is doing it again this week. Here’s hoping it becomes a regular thing (peek at @dumplingclubsf for updates), and the retail offering will assuredly expand in time. 3233 22nd St. at Bartlett.
Sandy Zheng and Julia Zhu of UNITED DUMPLINGS in Bernal have been tagging me in their Instagram updates on their upcoming Marina location (they took over the short-lived Cancha location on Chestnut). Things are getting close—they have a few more inspections, and are hiring staff and finishing some decorating. XLB are coming soon! 2015 Chestnut St. at Fillmore.
According to Hoodline, Outer Sunset’s DUMPLING KITCHEN is opening a location in the former Papi Rico in the Castro—I love that the shower room is going to be converted to the dumpling room, where you can soon watch dumplings be stuffed instead of men grinding in Speedos. They already have a nice patio, and are applying for sidewalk seating out front. Their Shanghaiese menu will include “Shanghai-style pork buns ($11.50), chow mein ($12.50), and rice cakes ($13.80), five-spice beef noodle soup ($15.30), and sweet vinegar spare ribs ($14.80).” (Dumpling Kitchen rocks.) They are targeting late August to open for lunch and dinner service. 544 Castro St. at 18th St.
Duroc pork wontons from Dumpling Club. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
