There's something to be said about unassuming venues. Places that from the outside don't look like more than your average Thursday night dinner out.
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These are usually the types of places that you need someone to recommend to you - you probably wouldn't have found them otherwise. And that's exactly how this Thursday night dinner at Dumpling Social came about.
With wood panelling, kitsch knick-knacks, terrazzo floors, pop songs coming out of the speakers and a back wall covered in vines, there's a casualness to Dumpling Social, while still upholding some sense of style and sophistication.
![Stir-fry lobster tail and udon noodles. Picture by Gary Ramage Stir-fry lobster tail and udon noodles. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/2b0ee4b5-7ab4-4584-a2ca-f6551cb9ffa0.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And that's what we were expecting from our food as well. A place that was casual enough that you could pop in following a cinema session or even some late-night shopping, but still feel like you were having a culinary moment.
We wanted to kick this evening off with cheeseburger spring rolls ($11.90, 2pcs) - something that, let's face it, has been around for a while. There are plenty of restaurants dishing these up and given they are the perfect addition to any "dude food" event you can even get them in the frozen section of the supermarket. Yet, when I see them on the menu there is still something about this Wagyu beef, American cheese and pickles, wrapped in pastry, that always draws my attention.
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But while this lands firmly in the entree section of the menu, we are left waiting. Instead, the dumplings are what arrive at our table first. Specifically, the spicy pork and prawn wonton ($14.90, 8pcs) and the lightly fried chicken and kimchi dumplings ($14.90, 8pcs). For a place that is called Dumpling Social, I was expecting big things.
![Spicy pork and prawn wonton. Picture by Gary Ramage Spicy pork and prawn wonton. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/2daa378b-0a4c-4679-baf9-64c4ae737210.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And the pork dumplings didn't disappoint. Served in Dumpling Social's signature spicy sauce that had the salty umami of soy sauce mixed with the acidity of vinegar, it was a dish I kept coming back to throughout the night. With just a slight kick of chilli - potentially not enough to match the chilli symbol on the menu - that brought a little something-something to the moist filling, and silky pastry, this was a winner.
When the chicken dumplings landed on the table I could not help but exclaim at how cute they were. Like little crispy pillows on a plate. The filling needed a bit more of a punch - the flavour of the pastry seemed to overwhelm what was meant to be the hero of the dish - and that was even before you added the kimchi aioli on the side.
Still waiting on our spring rolls, our larger dishes land on the table - crispy Peking duck ($34.90, half) and the stir-fry lobster tail and udon noodles ($35.90).
![Crispy Peking duck (half). Picture by Gary Ramage Crispy Peking duck (half). Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/3bc0ebd0-dfe9-47a7-97cd-fb145a04121c.jpg/r0_71_4000_2338_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The duck had a delightfully crispy skin and the meat was super succulent, but it was a little awkward to take off the bone. That being said, once you did, it was worth the effort - although simple seasoning, it was clear that it had been treated with care and the result was in the flavour.
Served alongside steamed pancake, hoisin sauce and cucumber, it was one of the best duck pancake-style dishes I have had. And a lot of that came to how much duck you were served - nothing was skimped on meat-wise. If anything we could have used slightly more pancake ingredients.
And then there was the lobster and boy did it bring the drama. With the tail still sticking out of this large bowl of noodles, it was a bit of a show-stopper. But it didn't quite live up to this presentation. The lobster was cooked beautifully but was slightly over-seasoned, and served with housemade marinara sauce, baby spinach and dill, it felt lacking. There was a sweetness missing from the tomato in the sauce and all around just needed a bit more punch in flavour.
![Steam Nutella bao. Picture by Gary Ramage Steam Nutella bao. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/08c00aa3-2c37-48d8-ba4e-b29fc8208b7c.jpg/r0_409_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Finally, though, the spring rolls land on our table. Drizzled with the "burger" sauce and sprinkled with black sesame, it certainly looked the part. The pastry was perfectly crispy and the filling had a cheeseburger influence - the ratio was just off. There needed to be more filling to push this one over the edge for me.
Rounding out the evening, we decided to share the steam Nutella bao ($13.90, 3pcs). And they are exactly as they sound - the equivalent of barbecue pork buns but with a Nutella filling instead of the meat. It's not the most technical dessert out. And there wasn't a layering of flavours, but it was the equivalent of Nutella on bread and sometimes that's all you want.
When it comes down to it, there are restaurants for every occasion. The fancy events that may only happen every so often, the cheap and cheerful that can be relied upon for a certain standard every time, and then everything in between. It's in this in-between Dumpling Social lands quite firmly - and besides our spring rolls being late to the party, it lands there quite well. And that's something worth recommending to someone next time they ask.
![Chef Eason Hsu. Picture by Gary Ramage Chef Eason Hsu. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/hU74HdTxzzWB78D7znDAb9/5092c39f-d404-4e40-83b0-6eaf04f72fcf.jpg/r0_0_4000_2667_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Dumpling Social
Address: 9 Bradley Street, Phillip
Phone: 0409 246 888
Website: dumplingsocial.com.au
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11.30am to 9pm. Friday and Saturday, 11.30am to 9.30pm
Chef: Eason Hsu
Noise: No problem
Dietary: Plenty of options
Score: 12/20
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