Fix Your Premium Dumpling Cravings at Xiding, Sanlitun North

I can never say no to dumplings – boiled ones, steamed ones, fried ones, cheap ones at the shady joint around the corner, or expensive ones at five-star hotels – give them all to me. Then there's Mr. Shi’s Dumplings opium-level-addictive selections, or the colorful delicacies at Baoyuan Dumplings. Recently, we found a new addition to Beijing's dumpling scene: the premium offerings at Xiding Dumplings.

Located next to Koyama Japanese Cuisine in the basement of Taikooli North, Xiding Dumplings is famous for dumplings with uni, or sea urchin, fillings. The interior is kitted out in your traditional Chinese restaurant trimmings with large tables made of rosewood, providing a relaxing and cozy atmosphere. The dining space is large, and the staff is extraordinarily friendly.

The signature uni dumplings (RMB 68 for 15) come packed with a tremendous umami flavor and slight sweetness from sea urchin, which is offset with additional pork to round it out. Best yet, these are great value when compared to the wallet-burning price of fresh uni sashimi at Japanese restaurants. The staff told us they're made daily to ensure freshness, and on average they sell up to 200 plates a day, selling as many as 500 plates during last year's winter solstice. If you're not a huge fan of seafood, try the cheese and beef variety instead.  

I have to admit that I was dead set against roast pigeon before, but Xiding has changed my mind. The skin of the pigeon (RMB 68) was crisp and a gorgeous deep red thanks to the glaze from the evaporated fat during the roasting. The lean meat was not chewy at all. We also tried their generous portion of sauteed vermicelli with duck (RMB 58), the slices of duck both tender and full of flavor. To balance out the meat-heavy dishes we added a refreshing bowl of cold sweet peas with lily.

Old Shanghai-style pop songs play in the background and the dining area was well-designed, making eating here more relaxed than you might find in other restaurants dotted nearby. There's also a small private space for groups. As the dumplings are reasonably priced (especially compared to Mr. Shi’s RMB 55-85 a plate), expect queues during the lunch and dinner peak times so we suggest that you head in at off times if you want a quick fix of these brilliant dumplings.

Xiding Dumplings
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10pm, Sat-Sun 11.30am-10pm. NLG-15, B1/F, Taikooli North, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (5360 1288)
喜鼎海胆水饺: 朝阳区三里屯路11号太古里北区地下一层NLG -15号

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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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