The Dumpling King — Restaurant in Markham

HAIR IN FOOD! AND PISS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Decided to come here for some lunch, had good reviews so i figured it would be a a good opportunity. Anyhow, got there and got a table right away. Rest of the service was very poor. Took a very long time to place our orders - it almost felt like we were the odd family out. They would go to other tables who were Chinese, but for us (not Chinese) they would either walk right past us or not even check up. It could be just me, but that's definitely what it felt like.

Anyhow, we ordered some soup bowl with vermicelli, dumplings, fried rice, some noodles, and some pork pancakes.

Vermicelli soup bowl: Presentation was really nice, but overall the soup was bland and not good at all. definitely avoid.

Fried rice: was MEH. For this price (I believe around $8), you can get it wayyyyy better at other places.

Pork pancakes: Actually not too bad - the only thing that was appetizing. We ordered only 1, but they brought us 2 and charged us for that. That's fine, but they need to pay attention to what the customer actually orders.

Dumplings: for a place that calls itself the 'Dumpling King'. Their dumplings taste like frozen ones from the grocery store at best. It was edible, but that's about it.

Fried noodles: I left this one last for a reason. A: it was below average and B: we found a long hair in our noodles. Probably only one person dug into the plate before we found it, but when we brought it up to the attention of the server she looked dumbfounded and went to her supervisor or manager. This person was more younger looking and can speak english much better than the others. But when we told her, she denied it and refused to take it back. Are you kidding me? She said, it could have been our hair that fell into it and that she isn't going to do anything about it. Probably one of the worst responses i have ever heard. Definitely won't be back there.

In summary: Poor food, poor customer...

I'm writing this years after my initial rating to add a review because the dumplings at Dumpling King have become the pinnacle of dumpling-dom to me and I compare all other dumplings to them... and they always fall short. I spent the first couple decades of my life eating American Chinese food. When I finally saw the light outside the cave, I understood what I had been missing and mourned all those lost years of half-cooked, thick, doughy dumplings and sickly sweet sauces on overcooked chicken. My family is from Italy, so I understand the frustration of millions of people confusing your culture's cuisine for something it isn't.

Not only are the dumplings here perfection, but I finally understood what sweet and sour pork is supposed to be and I think angels sang hymns while cherubs fanned me with giant ferns once I had my first bite because I didn't want to stop—ever. I used to LOATHE sweet and sour chicken (as it's most commonly sold in American Chinese joints). The dry chicken, the terrible coating on it, the thick, neon orange sauce. Blech. Dumpling King opened my eyes to the sweet and sour atrocities that I had been subjected to all my life.

I've had many other things there as well, all of which I enjoyed, but the dumplings and the sweet and sour pork changed me. My credit score went up 100 points and I no longer have acne. Also, I finally understand how good dumplings are supposed to be and I won't settle for less. I miss you, DK. I hope we see...

Wow, even at 9pm, The Dumpling King is always packed with customers looking to sample their selection of Northern Chinese delicacies.

The Dumpling King has been a long time staple in the Scarborough community for their commitment to share authentic Northern Chinese flavours with their house-made dumplings and dishes.

My group of friends and I were seated very quickly when we arrived last night. We took a look at the menu and the selection was very impressive. We decided to order Hot and Sour Soup, Pan Fried Dumplings, Boiled Lamb Dumplings and Cold Noodles with Cucumbers.

The Lamb Dumplings were a nice balance between the the dumpling wrapper and filling. The wrapper had a nice chew to compliment the hearty lamb filling.

The Crispy Pork Dumplings were nice and crispy. The filling was nice and moist to compliment the crispy outer layer of the dumplings.

The Hot and Sour Soup was a perfect compliment to balance the greasiness from the dumplings. The soup was nice and tangy to help keep us warm from the chilly weather. There was a lot of texture (Fungus, Shitake Mushrooms, Tofu, Tomatoes) in the soup to bring it all together.

The Cold Noodles with Cucumbers were also a nice compliment to the dumplings. The peanut and vinegar dressing helped bring the julienne cucumbers and noodles all together into a perfect harmony in every bite.

Overall, it was a great time at The Dumpling King and I can't wait for my...