District Dumplings — Restaurant in Merrifield

TL;DR Underwhelming flavors. Inefficient set up. I hope this place gets better because dumplings matter!

I am a big fan of Asian dumplings... and I was excited to try this place out since it carries a huge selection of fillings. I was expecting the quality similar to Moh Moh Licious dumplings, but I was disappointed.

You can combine different dumplings in your order, that is you can split your 10 dumplings between 4 or 5 different flavors if you like, so that you get to try half the menu! Very flexible! There is an option for fried or steamed preparation. Well, 'fried' really means pan-fried, not deep-fried. I was warned that steamed dumplings take 15-20 mins to cook. I opted for steamed, because I didn't know that the fried version will be coated with oil only lightly. My friend ordered fried dumplings. Her dumplings came out first and we waited another 15 mins before my order arrived. It would be nice if the staff could time our orders to come out at the same time. I bet my friend's order got cold by the time my food arrived.

I would be happy if my order was worth the wait, but it really wasn't. The dumplings tasted undercooked: the dough was stiff, the meat inside was dry and chewy. I expect my dumpling to melt in my mouth filled with the juicy goodness. The fillings weren't very flavorful or distinct. I expected more flavors of curry and ginger. I ordered 3 different versions (2 beef and 1 shrimp+pork) and was barely able to tell the difference between the 3 of them. On top of that, some dumplings were placed close to each other when steamed and remained stuck to each other. All the dumpling lovers know that this is the worst thing that can happen to your dumplings. When the dumpling is separated, the juicy delicious filling leaks out, the dumpling is torn and is now just a mess to eat :( Finally, I would like to have a cover for my dumplings to keep them warm. They cooled down very quickly which didn't help with highlighting the flavors or keeping the dumplings soft. I was also surprised at the limited selection of dumpling sauces. There were no sweet or tangy sauces, only salty or spicy.

The place is very small, so it may be difficult for larger groups to find a table. Plus, it takes some time for the tables to cycle. I wish the place was at least twice the size. I bet the owner would agree on this with me as well.

I liked the decor of the wall to the left of the entrance as you walk in. The chalk board menu gives the place a modern touch. However, the set up needs some improvements. Although the menu items are listed on a large chalk board on one of the walls, no ingredients are listed for each type of dumpling making them indistinguishable. Unfortunately, the menus with all the ingredients are located all the way at the cashier counter, so this inconvenience doesn't help you decide while you are still in the line. I think the menus with the ingredients should be placed closer to the entrance. Another drawback of the layout is the location of the entrance to the kitchen. It's located on the side of the cashier station, so if you are waiting to order, expect the staff to bump into you as they deliver the orders to other tables.

As far as drinks go, I liked that hot green tea and water were available for FREE. That's a nice touch, but I can think of better ways to serve them than in glass jars at the front counter. The glass jars were heavy and slippery when full. They also had to be constantly refilled, so we had to watch for when the jars get refilled. And it was hard to tell whether the water jar was empty or full due to the ridges on the jar. I also wish they had a larger selection of caffeinated drinks. I really needed a cup of coffee or black tea, but it wasn't available.

All in all, I wouldn't be back, unless the quality of the food is improved. The store-bought dumplings come out 10x more delicious at home and are...

Are you craving for a quick bite when out and about in the Mosaic District but don't have time for sit-down table service? Look no further than District Dumplings! They have dumplings of many types, from your standard pork dumplings to bulgogi dumplings. They sell 10 pieces at a time, and what most people don't realize is that you can mix and match so you don't have to get 10 dumplings of the same flavor. You can also choose if you want them fried or steamed. Aside from dumplings they also have shumai, rice, and noodles along with a variety of teas and juice and soy blends.

On our most recent visit we had the fried bulgogi dumplings. To be a little bit critical about them, they were a tad drier than I was expecting but nevertheless it tasted fine and we happily gobbled them up. We will try them steamed next time to see if that would have been the way to go. We also had their soup dumplings which were appropriately very juicy and tasty. You can enjoy the dumplings as is or dip them in one of the condiments available, including sriracha, soy sauce, and black vinegar, which is like regular vinegar with a slight umami kick. For drinks we had the purple yam juice with soy milk. It tasted good and our one year old enjoyed it, but it was not as sweet as I thought, maybe I got too accustomed to how purple yam drinks are usually prepared elsewhere (i.e. with too much sugar!). As a pleasant surprise, they serve tea on the house with the meal with free refills!

With that said, we can only say good things about District Dumplings. It's a no-frillls, quick service spot that is relatively cheap at around $1 per dumpling. Soup dumplings go for 8 pieces for $10, but they're worth it. Free parking is right around the corner, and it's only a 5 to 10 minute walk to where Target and Neiman Marcus Last Call are located.

PROTIP: definitely mix and match if it is your first time! Also take advantage of the free tea!

PROS: tasty food, good menu selection, fast and friendly service, free parking! The decor is quite nice and is a good backdrop for an Instagram post!

CONS: to be nitpicky, it's small-ish and seats only around 25 people, but it wasn't a problem around lunch time...

Overall, I had a really good experience here. The restaurant itself is nothing magical. It’s pretty small and I could definitely see it getting a little cramped if you went during peak hours. That said, we showed up around 1:00pm on a weekday and easily found a seat.

Basically District Dumplings serves two types of dumplings: fried and steamed. If you order fried you can usually get your meal in a couple of minutes, but I’ve heard that they can also come out burnt or overcooked if the restaurant is busy.

If you get your dumplings steamed (which I recommend) you’re probably looking at a 15 minute wait if they’re not very busy. Could be longer if there are multiple orders. The reason is because they make the dumplings fresh and steam them after you receive your order.

So if you’re hungry or in a hurry, it’s probably not the route for you.

In terms of pricing, I found it to be pretty reasonable. You pay $10 for 10 dumplings of your choice, which is just enough to leave you feeling satisfied.

I highly recommend the pork and celery and I really enjoyed the chicken and pesto as well.

A couple things to keep in mind:

There are no fountain drinks, so you pay by the bottle.

The baskets they deliver the dumplings in don’t have a bottom, so any soy sauce or flavoring you add will drip right through to the table.

Don’t go during peak hours. Seating is limited and food wait times can vary dramatically based on how many...