Dumplings Plus — Restaurant in Melbourne

On Tuesday 5th of March 2024, my wife telephoned Dumplings Plus to order Soup Dumplings for our children's dinner, as it normally takes a while to cook. The waitress who had answered the phone said, "It's okay for you to dine in". Upon arriving with my children I attempted to approach the cash register to pay for the kids meal & order my own meal upon sitting. Prior to this occurring I was approached by a man wearing a white business shirt, who later identified himself as the manager. Before I could even speak, he outspokenly raised his hand pointing outside advising me, "If you've ordered take away, you'll have to sit outside and not inside. This is a rule for all restaurants, you can check online if you want." I politely asked, "What is the difference between eating inside compared to eating outside?" Mind you, this was at approximately 3:30pm where there was absolutely no one sitting at a single table besides another worker. Several times he repeatedly mentioned that because we've ordered take away, we must sit outside. He had raised his voice at this point and I was absolutely shocked and stunned with his rude and aggressive behaviour! He was less than arm length away from me. With a frustrated yet calm tone, I explained to him, "I don't like your aggressive behaviour. I'm only wanting to first have my kids sit down and eat." He then went off to the kitchen area, walking back & forth several times continuing to mutter to himself that "...this is the rules about take away, I am right about take away". He approached me again, advising me "You can make a complaint but I have the right to refuse your entry for the future to this restaurant!" This was beyond a joke-my family & I have been dining at this restaurant since it opened and we have never seen a manager nor this manager since we've been here. He walked off again to the kitchen area, in which I explained my frustrations to waiters-waitresses at the front desk, in which they all apologised for their manager's behaviour. They understood & sided with my logic and reasoning. The staff there have always provided exceptional customer service-5stars, with the exception of this manager-0stars. When I asked for his name, he said it was Wilson & refused to provide his surname like he had something to hide or some sort of vendetta/grudge against me. He offered me to sit indoors still, but I declined as by this point I was already extremely upset. My wife then came into the restaurant & explained to the manager that she had called in and spoke to a young lady who had advised it was okay for us to dine in whilst also ordering ahead take away. The manager then spoke to the waitress whom my wife had spoken to, in which he was speaking to her in their foreign language. I would like to point out that the manager, Wilson's overall body language towards me was aggressive & confrontational but when he was speaking with my wife, his tone suddenly changed. After speaking and confirming with his staff member, he disingenuously apologised saying it is "...our fault but normally take away orders are for take away only and not indoors". I had attempted to express to him that if we only knew that we would be approached in the aggressive manner & had known that one cannot take away and dine in, we would have simply not called in and ordered take away but rather order upon arrival. This is a formal complaint against the manager, Wilson at Dumplings Plus Watergardens. Even though you apologised that it was your fault about the misunderstanding, your apology was not genuine towards me-your aggressive & unprofessional manner was demeaning and really just plain threatening behaviour to the point that you wanted to ban me from eating at your restaurant. Please ATTENTION this post to the Owner of Dumplings Plus at Watergardens because I'd like to highlight the inappropriate, unprofessional, threatening and just plain rude behaviour of your manager, Wilson who had acted towards my family and I. The food has always been great and service from waiters/waitresses, but Wilson needs...

Watergardens Dumpling Plus - A Finger-Licking Family Feast This was my first visit to Dumpling Plus at Watergardens, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last. The overall experience was fantastic, with delicious food, great service, and a family-friendly atmosphere.

Service The service was positive, professional, and polite throughout our visit. The self-ordering system via QR code was straightforward and user-friendly, with a menu featuring clear photos and detailed descriptions to make ordering a breeze. The staff were attentive and ensured our dining experience was seamless.

Food Peking Duck Pancake An absolute treat! The duck was tender, juicy, and rich in flavour, paired with a generous serving of condiments and hoisin sauce. Assembling the pancakes was easy and fun, and the sauces truly enhanced every bite.

Pan-Fried Handmade Pork Dumplings These were a highlight of the meal! Larger than the dumplings we’ve had at other restaurants, they were packed with juicy, flavourful pork filling. The crispy pan-fried exterior was cooked to golden perfection. A pro tip: dig in while they’re hot to enjoy their full deliciousness!

Stir-Fried String Beans with Minced Pork This classic dish was a family Favorite—even the kids couldn’t get enough of it. The beans were perfectly cooked, with the minced pork adding a savoury richness.

Peking Duck (Pre-Made Pancakes - 4 Servings) These ready-made pancakes were ideal for the kids, allowing them to enjoy without the assembly. It also gave us an opportunity to teach them how to make their own, adding a fun, interactive element to the meal.

Peking Shredded Pork Another "make-your-own" dish that was a hit! While some guests enjoyed nibbling on the fluffy pancakes on their own, the tender pork filling paired beautifully with the accompaniments.

Cucumber Salad A refreshing side dish with a touch of spice, offering a great balance to the richness of the main dishes.

Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli Perfectly steamed and slightly crunchy, this was another crowd-pleaser. The sauce was thoughtfully served at the bottom, ensuring the broccoli wasn’t overly drenched but still flavourful.

Sweet and Sour Pork Crispy and perfectly coated in tangy, sweet sauce, this was a dish everyone kept reaching for.

Black Bean Beef The beef was tender and juicy, with a bold black bean flavour that paired well with steamed rice.

BBQ Pork Buns A unanimous family Favorite! The fluffy buns were generously filled with sweet and savory BBQ pork. We enjoyed them so much that we ordered additional servings mid-meal, and they arrived quickly. Portions for all the dishes were generous, making it perfect for sharing.

Interiors The restaurant's interior was thoughtfully designed with a mix of soft and hard finishes that kept noise levels manageable, allowing for easy conversation. The layout included cozy booth seating along the walls and flexible table arrangements for larger groups. The restaurant is family-friendly, with baby seats available. A water station for self-service was a convenient touch.

Parking Parking at Watergardens was the only slight downside. It was incredibly busy, even on a Thursday night. We eventually found a spot by parking in the lot opposite the train station, which offers more availability but requires a short walk through the shopping center to the dining precinct. Despite this, parking is free, which is always a plus.

Recommendation I highly recommend Dumpling Plus at Watergardens for a delicious and enjoyable dining experience. Whether you’re visiting with family or friends, this is a fantastic spot for sharing great food and making memories. I’m excited to return and might even check out their...

Let me preface this review by stating that I have nothing against Dumplings Plus but am only reviewing this particular branch of the business. I normally eat at the highpoint branches at both the upper and lower level and have had no complaints up til now . I'm uncertain as to whether this branch has the same owner or is perhaps a different franchisee.

Whatever it may be; the Watergardens branch doesn't run as smoothly, or as efficiently as it counterparts in highpoint. I have eaten at Watergardens a few times and it seems that the same minor issues keep reoccurring.

I have worked in customer being and and I understand that when it's busy the wait time for food may take longer than usual. However this wait time frustration can be minimised with prompt and great customer service. This is usually started with a quick acknowledgement of the entering customer and seating them as fast as possible with a menu shortly provided. When taking orders (in this case ordering at the counter) the waiter should inform the customer of any unusual delays.

Unfortunately my experience at the Watergardens branch today was especially poor.

PROBLEM 1 : When I entered there was no one to arrange seating. This is especially poor form as I could have seated myself but there was signage that requests you to wait to be seated. I lingered at the doorway and picked up a menu to check the items. Only after picking up the menu was I acknowledge and then seated. At both Highpoint restaurants you are greeted immediately and seated very shortly afterwards.

PROBLEM 2 : When I went to the counter to order, the girl who was was taking my order asked that I wait. I presume she needed time to log into the system, she however; walked off on me and the guy on the next counter took my order. This was poor service. I ordered braised noodles and prawn dumplings.

PROBLEM 3 : The sauce stations were not uniformly stocked. In one station I saw Sirracha sauce and the one I that was closest to me had none. My table was also missing soya sauce.

PROBLEM 4: Slow food items, this has happened two times in a row. My noodles came out fine but my Dumplings did not come out. This is quite unusual as both Highpoint restaurants can be superfast bringing out the dumplings no matter how busy they are. I started to eat my noodles and 1/3 into the bowl; I called a waiter to see when the dumplings would come out. He said 10mins. At exactly 33mins after ordering I received my dumplings. This would be like getting a Big Mac after waiting for 30mins.

While these issues may seem minor to some people, it was such a noticeable difference from my experiences at Highpoint that I had to mention it.

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