SAN ANTONIO’S STEAMY LOVE AFFAIR GROWS AND GROWS

WORDS BY KIMBERLY SUTA

Photo by Kimberly Suta

Dumplings … they’re such delightful, pillowy pockets filled with heavenly goodness, it’s no wonder these bite-sized treasures have grown in popularity. And the further you delve into the fascinating world of dumplings, the more varieties you discover. In fact, almost every culture around the globe has a traditional dumpling in its culinary heritage. They may come in different shapes, with different doughs, different fillings, herbs and preparations, but each are quintessentially a dumpling, and we can’t get enough of them!

Interestingly, the first known dumpling recipe appeared in a Roman cookbook, but most experts believe that dumplings were originally invented in China by medicine practitioner Zhang Zhongjing, during the second imperial dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. Those steamed dumplings served a medicinal purpose — as a way to offset the winter chill while also filling people’s bellies with healthful herbs and proteins.

Now, of course, we don’t typically eat dumplings for their health benefits, as much as for pure enjoyment, but it’s certainly an added bonus while exploring San Antonio’s dumpling scene. To that end, here are some delicious places to check out.

Let’s start with one of the most ubiquitous dumplings to be found in the Alamo City — gyoza! My most recent sampling was at Yozora Sake & Wine Listening Bar in the Dominion area, an izakaya-style eatery akin to a tapas bar. Yozora offers a more upscale experience with a speakeasy vibe with low lighting and an eclectic selection of music via record player.

The exceptional menu ranges from mouthwatering crudos made with the freshest seafood to yakitori and other meats grilled over charcoal imported from Japan. Besides their divinely creamy miso soup drizzled with truffle oil, one of the most scrumptious dishes is their Hot Line Crispy (pork) Gyoza, which is pan-fried, then deep-fried, to make them extra crispy before glazing with a sweet chili sauce, sprinkling with Parmigiano Reggiano and serving with their addictive 911 sauce for dipping.

Yozoro photo by Kimberly Suta

You can find more traditional yet equally flavorful gyoza all over town, including Kimura, Ming’s Thing, The Nest Boba Cafe, Hanzo and Suck It: The Restaurant. In fact, Suck It just opened a sister restaurant next to their downtown location, called Suck It Izakaya & Sushi, where they actually make dumplings live and serve top-shelf Japanese whiskey.

For something out of the box, I recommend the Impossible potstickers, which have been on the menu at Best Quality Daughter since day one. Modeled after traditional Chinese pork dumplings, owner and James Beard Award semifinalist chef Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin uses vegan “meat” and wraps instead, along with fresh garlic, ginger, green onion, sesame, shiitake powder, white pepper and vegetarian oyster sauce to create a tasty vegan dumpling that happily shocks most guests. Dobbertin also serves up mind- blowing brunch dumplings on Sundays, made with pork chorizo, egg and cheese. These, you’ve got to try.

Moving on, the broader dumpling craze has lately honed in on soup dumplings, which are a little harder to find in San Antonio. My most enjoyable soup dumpling experience was at, not surprisingly, DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar. Owner and chef Kristina Zhao never disappoints with her exquisite cuisine, including delicate, steamed dumplings, made with either chicken, pork, or pork and crab.

If you’re unfamiliar with soup dumplings, they are typically made using juicy meat and a rich, seasoned broth that, when steamed, transforms the dumplings into little packets of hot soup and meat. Eat with caution, so that you don’t lose any of that yummy broth when you take a bite.

Photo by Max and Louie’s

Kung Fu Noodle on Huebner Road is another Chinese dumpling restaurant that is getting a lot of love, so research demanded that I sample these as well. I was very pleased with their combo special that includes a 10-piece order of amorphous-shaped dumplings and a bowl of handmade noodles with lamb, served in a broth with a five-spiced egg. I ordered the top seller — the steamed dumplings stuffed with pork and chives, which you can drizzle with a sesame chili oil, soy sauce and/or an unusual black vinegar, which I quite liked.

Next, I discovered Momo House on De Zavala, an unassuming space situated in a gas station convenience store, which makes it all the more startling, when you bite into the little pockets of joy offered there. Momos are Nepali-style dumplings, which are defined by their round shape and the unique spices and chilis used to make them.

Momo House serves chicken, pork and veggie dumplings in a variety of permutations, but my all-time favorite is the spicy Chili Momo dish, which comes with 10 fried momos tossed in a scintillating house chili paste, along with sautéed veggies. All momos are served with Nepali- style tomato dipping sauce known as atchar. Thankfully, you can now buy frozen momos here, too, so you can cook and eat them at home any time. Truth be told, they’re perfect for a late-night snack!

Suck It photo by Kimberly Suta

Still on the search for more and different dumplings, I heard of a Russian variety being served at a chill neighborhood bar in Beacon Hill called Web House. Not unlike the Chinese-style dumplings, Russian dumplings are steamed and come in two shapes. One is called pelmeni and are shaped like large tortellini and filled with either beef, chicken, lamb, or pork and beef. Owner and chef Mischka Timofeyev says these are called Siberian dumplings and can be found at pelmeni cafeterias all over Russia. The second kind are called vareniki; these half moon-shaped dumplings are filled with fun ingredients, such as potato, onion, mushrooms, cheese and a mild sauerkraut. Unusually, both types are served with sour cream and fresh dill, making these dumplings a satisfyingly decadent snack.

And don’t forget about Matzoh balls! Locally, Max and Louie’s New York Diner serves up a hearty bowl of this popular Jewish soul food with scratch-made broth and Long Island-style egg noodles, along with tons of chicken, as well as veggies and two ginormous matzo balls.

Which dumplings are next on your list to try? Let’s keep exploring!

About the Contributor

Kimberly A. Suta is editor of Edible San Antonio, a filmmaker, food writer, event planner, culinary tour guide and has a media company called Homegrown Chef. She loves nothing more than sharing the phenomenal food, chefs and restaurants that San Antonio and Texas have to offer.