Kingdom of Dumpling
(also known as Asian American Food Company)
1426 Noriega St
(between 21st Ave & 22nd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 665-6617
Who:
Kingdom of Dumpling’s dumpling manufacturing site, where several ladies gather around a table making fresh handmade dumplings of all thicknesses and ingredients. They make the dumplings here and source the ingredients to the restaurant of the same name, over on Taraval (between 27th and 28th Avenues).
What:
They’ve got frozen dumplings of various dumpling skin thicknesses, and ingredients. Can’t eat pork? No problem, try the chicken or beef filling. Picky about your vegetables? Select napa cabbage, Chinese chives, celery, corn, and a bunch of other options. They sell these in pre-bagged quantities of potstickers, won tons, dumplings, and some other northern Chinese dim sum favorites like green onion or multi-layer beef pancake.
If you take a look at their sparse shelves, you can also find some good chili sauces or Chinese sweets to buy.
When:
If you plan to eat the dumplings the same day that you buy them, ask if there are any fresh ones just about to be bagged. If you time it right, the ladies will have some ready for you.
Why:
Service is efficient – there’s rarely a line. Make sure you bring cash just in case they don’t accept credit cards.
The level of help you get is highly dependent on the worker’s English skills, so don’t go in expecting Nordstrom, and have an idea of what you want before you start asking them to yank the bags out of the freezer.
Prices range from $6-7 for a bag of about 22 pieces. An excellent Grubgirl find if you’re missing the handiwork of a Chinese mom’s cooking talents.
