Mukden Dumplings

In 2019, San Gabriel, perhaps the iconic hot spot for Chinese food in the greater Los Angeles area, held their annual Beer and Dumpling festival, and associated competition for the best Chinese dumplings around. The victor was not a restaurant from San Gabriel at all, but was in fact Mukden Dumplings - and let me emphasize how happy I am to concur with the judges here: Mukden pan fried pork Dumplings are the best dumplings in Southern California. Look up Mukden on a map and your immediate impression is probably just how far they are from Los Angeles. It's something like an hour's drive from town without traffic. The exterior is relatively unremarkable, though parking is ample. The shop doesn't even boast their dumpling achievement in any way I could find. But everything about this shop is more than it seems and you will not regret stepping in. About half the menu is dumplings and the other half noodles. Stewed pork soup seemed a popular dish and resembles fatty Japanese kakuni, though with less sweet soy flavor, making the meat a pork-lover's dream (though it may be a touch fatty for most). The soup appears a simple soy base but the flavor runs deep and subtle, far more than the sum of its parts. The noodles too appear normal but have a good chewy texture. Everything on the menu is good. But if you want to have the best, you should make sure to order the pan fried pork dumplings. What do the best dumplings in SoCal taste like? They look unassuming, almost squarish not unlike some Korean mandu. But the devil is in the details and when you bite in, you'll feel a thick, warm soft skin, beautifully balanced with the light crunch of the fry, for a texture that can only be described as divine. And that's just the start. While these are not xlb soup dumplings, they do have soup in them. And what a soup - a blast of salty flavor that while not overpowering manages to overwhelm with pure savory goodness, giving the feeling as if the meet inside is bursting with marinade. Soy, chili, and vinegar is provided but you don't need them to feel the impact of these Dumplings. If that weren't enough, one plate has something like 10 of them, making it a great value proposition compared to most xlb places. The other dumplings on menu are fine as well, particularly if you particularly like beef or chives for example, but for my money, the pan fried pork cannot be missed. Mukden was originally a capital city of the Manchurians as they invaded China to establish the Qing Dynasty. It was located at the north outskirts of China and its name is apparently from a Manchurian word 'mukdembi' - to rise. Mukden dumplings too lies far from the centers of Los Angeles. Short of a trip to San Bernardino it may be hard to find a reason to make the pilgrimage here. But like its namesake Mukden holds a rising power that too few know about right now. So if you're in the area or have a long free afternoon, set out and taste the best dumplings in the region for yourself!

This place is clean, quick, and great service. We ordered steamed dumplings, fried, the beef soup, and seaweed salad. Everything was delicious and the food came out quick. The staff was on top of everything and even refilled our soup bowl with more hot broth halfway through our meal. I will definitely be coming back and recommeding this place.