阿堂鍋貼水餃 — Restaurant in Shilin District

I used to be loyal to the Shipai spot (阿財) since they were the only place with decent potstickers back in the day—but I believe a family member branched off from that restaurant years ago and opened this cozy little spot in Tianmu.

It’s tucked away in a quiet alley near my work, and I’ve been coming here for years. Their potstickers are always fresh, hot, and perfectly crispy. I usually pair them with the hot and sour soup (pro tip: it hits the spot every time). The flavors are a bit different from Shipai’s, but both have their own charm.

I’ve never tried their dumplings, but they look delicious too—definitely on my list for next time!

The setup is simple, nothing fancy—just good food, quick service, and a whole lot of locals who clearly know what’s up. It gets crowded fast during lunch and dinner, so if you’re doing takeout, try calling ahead. Just know that during rush hour, getting through on the phone is like winning the lottery.

There are about 16 tables, mostly small and medium. Bigger tables are for groups of 3 or more, so bring friends if you’re going big on dumplings.

Simple, tasty, and always satisfying. A hidden...

ok food but horrible and rude service! i was told i have taken too much garlic that’s provided at the front out of the store! there wasn’t much provided to start with, maybe a total of 10 soft not so fresh cloves after i have taken 5. i took a little longer than i liked, as the entire basket had poor quality ones. i thought of asking if they could provide more but thought just make do with what they got. i then got scolded by the woman “taking so long, not saving any for others!” which made me realize how rude and stingy the owner is. lost my appetite wondering what they would stuff the dumplings with, probably the cheaper quality of meats and veggies as well! a dumpling restaurant that’s stingy in providing the dipping condiments is not one that cares about its customers. guess not going back...

The fried dumplings looks so good but the good presentation doesn't translate to good taste. The skin was too thick and chewy and the filling was little which is a reflection of their cheap cost and probably why the dumplings looks long instead of plump. Credit to them that they are able to retain the meat juice inside the dumplings but due to the odd shape, we were unable to consume the dumpling in one bite and also struggle to bite it without pulling it, resulting the dripping off of most...