Tasty Dumplings

It's time for... more Chinese food! It's been a while since I visited Ongpin, but this time, I was less adventurous and decided to have lunch at an old favorite--Tasty Dumplings. Serving some great yet affordable Taiwanese style food, this place is a refreshing break from the salty, oily, MSG-laden, and not to mention expensive, Cantonese-style cuisine that's common for Chinese restaurants in Manila.

Tasty Dumplings

The first thing you notice upon entering Tasty Dumplings is that everyone is ordering the same thing. And that thing is this:

Porkchop rice

A huge piece of marinated pork, pounded thinly, coated in breading, and deep fried to perfection. And what perfection it is! Add a dash of this special sauce (only because I don't know what it is, except that it is salty)...

And you have this super yummy, crispy porkchop. (The pork itself is actually quite salty, so the sauce is optional.) Served with your choice of rice or noodles. Also comes with a bowl of soup (which you can ask for) and a small serving of stir-fried veggies. 

Of course, how can we possibly talk about Tasty Dumplings without talking about their dumplings?

Dumpling noodles. The soup is light. Not very flavorful, and if you need more salt in your life, then add some of the above-mentioned sauce, but the blandness is really the beauty of it. The noodles are nice and chewy and, again, a bit bland.

Dumpling noodles

And at last, their dumplings! The dumplings are filled with meat and other things I cannot identify, but it does not matter because it's super good. The skin is not too thick, just the right texture and chewiness. You can get them deep fried or steamed, and filled with meat only or a combination of meat and kuchay (a type of strong-flavored vegetable).

And there you have it. Tasty Dumplings. I know I covered only 2 dishes, but that's because these two are the most popular dishes there. Something else I recommend: their wintermelon juice. It's very light and refreshing and perfect for beating the summer heat. Although, yes, it is not yet summer... but it will be in about 2 more months. And I cannot wait!


Tasty Dumplings
620 Ongpin St., Binondo, Manila
(02) 242-5195
Branches: Masangkay, Manila; Banawe, QC