Luscious Dumplings

I have a love-hate relationship with Luscious Dumpling.  I LOVE the dumplings, and HATE almost everything else about the place.  Ok that last part may be an exaggeration.  I mean, the place is small, but clean, the service is typical for FOB Asian, the prices are cheap, but on par with most everything else in the San Gabriel Valley.   What I really HATE about the place is the hours, the wait, and how they consistently run out of food.  It's like the place doesn't even try to make enough food for all the hungry customers.  You'd think the owner was in the back thinking, "I feel like going home at 7:30pm tonight.  Let's just make 100 dumplings today.  And I only feel like making 3 types.  Don't make too much noodle soup either.  We wouldn't want customers to be happy and satisfied."  It's no joke.  If you don't show up by 7:45pm, you are sh*t outta luck.

Take a good look at this menu.  It may be one of the very few times you won't see half the items crossed off.


Small Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce
The vegetables are fresh fresh fresh.  You won't taste anything chewy or bitter about these bok choy.  They are crisp, and interestingly prepared, or so I think.  It doesn't taste like the bok choy have been stir fried in the traditional fashion, which would result in the bok choy sitting in a pool of its own watery soy sauce.  Perhaps they are blanched, and then just lightly tossed in oil in a skillet?  I can't figure it out, but I do love the veggies here.


Stewed Beef Brisket
The noodles here are solid but not the star of the menu.  It seems like all the noodle soups are made with the same noodles and soup base, which is kept pretty low on the salt but with deep breadth of flavor from either pork or beef bones.  More taste is provided by the added meat, be it beef or pork, which has been stewed separately and then scooped on top right before serving the steamy bowl.  When mixed all together, you have a tasty, but very clean tasting, noodle soup.  It is deliciously simple.


Dumplings
There is just something so darn special about these dumplings.  The texture is juicy and unctious, unlike any other dumping I've had.  I feel like when I've had homemade dumplings,  you definintely know what's in the dumpling, and that's mainly pork.  Here, I'm just in awe of the harmonious mixture of ingredients in the dumplings.  I definitely feel like the ratio of veggies to meat is very high.  They are just damn tasty too, as if it were full of MSG, but its not!  It's just pure natural flavors, because I'm not dying of thirst afterwards.  The dumpling skins are on the thicker side, which I prefer for my dumplings.


Chive, pork, egg, shrimp
Very chivey, still delicious though.  The egg adds even more moistness to an already perfectly textured dumpling.  



Cabbage, pork, shrimp
This dumpling is probably my favorite, although I just had their pork and celery dumpling (no picture), which was damn good too.  I love the perfect balance of cabbage, pork, and shrimp flavors.  


Oh Luscious Dumpling, how I love thee.  Dumpling Man loves you even more.  We would eat here more often but their hours are simply impossible.  We always try if we can, with a lot of planning ahead of time.  There's nothing worse than getting your hopes up for delicious dumplings, only to be disappointed if the place is closed or out of dumplings.  I wish I could make dumplings like this place.  I gotta find out their secret!


Luscious Dumpling
704 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776



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