Text and photos by Traveler Liao Weiren
Located in the Beitai Medical District of Xinyi, just a few blocks away are packed with restaurants. The area is bustling with hospitals, schools, residences, and office buildings, nurturing a vibrant food scene. And come mealtime, this street-corner dumpling shop is always teeming with diners, today we’re bringing you and our editor Jing along to dig in!
Tongke Dumpling Restaurant is located on Zhuangjing Road in the Beitai Medical District.
Tongke Dumpling Restaurant sits right at the corner of an alleyway on Zhuangjing Road. When Jing came to work in Xinyi, he dropped by here for a bite. Seeing the steady stream of people going in and out, he didn’t hesitate to walk right in—after all, in Taiwan, following the crowds at small eateries usually doesn’t steer you wrong.
The dumplings were mouthwatering the moment they arrived.
As the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in dumplings, offering options like pork with cabbage, pork with leek, pork with kimchi, and pork with chives and shrimp. Jing went for the leek and cabbage ones, and although he later found out that the kimchi dumplings are supposedly the most famous, it didn’t affect his appreciation for their dumplings.
A seriously good fried rice with slightly crispy strips of meat.
In terms of the dumplings themselves, Jing felt the restaurant really put effort into the wrappers—the filling area has a thinner layer of dough, while the overlapping edges are thick enough. When you bite in, the juice bursts out, filling your mouth with the flavors of veggies and meat, followed by the chewy texture of the wrapper. The mouthfeel was quite impressive.
The pressed tofu and marinated eggs also had great textures, though the sauce was a bit ordinary.
Jing also ordered a portion of shredded pork fried rice, which arrived fragrant and inviting. What’s most delightful about this fried rice is the subtle hint of eggy crispiness, mixed with separate, fluffy grains of rice—simple, yet satisfyingly delicious. Paired with some side dishes, it made for a very fulfilling meal.
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